Angel of the Springs
by Hank's Lady
Summary: A young girl from Denver loses her parents and travels south to find a new home, ending up in Colorado Springs.The first place she looks for work is the Gold Nugget, thinking she can wait tables there! Rated for love scenes in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

After the death of her parents in a train derailment in 1868, Angelina was forced out of the family home when the bank foreclosed on it, leaving her with little money and only the possessions she could manage to carry in two large carpet bags. Her parents had been reasonably well off, but they also had a large mortgage and by the time this was paid there wasn't very much left.

Angelina was eighteen and had little experience of the world, but now she had no choice other than to venture out into it alone. She had no other relatives and her parents' friends disappeared quietly when they thought there might be a chance they would have a teenage girl foisted upon them.

She made the decision to leave Denver and bought a ticket on the stagecoach to a small town to the south which she had never heard of. She knew the journey would take almost two weeks and as Denver held nothing but unhappy memories for her, she was eager to make it. Besides, her meagre savings would not keep her in lodging for very long in Denver and she knew she could rent a room for perhaps a couple of dollars a week elsewhere.

Just two days into the journey and the stagecoach was held up by thieves who took any money and valuables carried by the travellers. The driver was shot and the horses taken, leaving Angelina and four other travellers stranded.

The party walked for miles, growing weary and dusty, not even knowing where they were going. A further attack came late that afternoon, from Indians this time. Angelina was fortunate in that she was attending to a call of nature in a clump of trees some distance from the other four people, but they weren't so lucky. The two men were killed with arrows and the woman and her daughter taken away. So the young girl was alone in the middle of who knew where as night approached.

Angelina took clothing from her lost companions' baggage and used it to lie on and cover herself as she bedded down amongst the trees, cold and afraid and wondering what was to become of her. With no money and no idea where she was, she considered she might as well be dead.

She woke early the next morning with renewed resolve and set off on foot in what she guessed was a southerly direction, going on the position of the sun in the sky. She took only one of her bags with her, unable to manage the weight of both, keeping two changes of clothes and some essential personal items such as her hairbrush, soap, scent and a picture of her parents.

She had no food or water, but found a stream during the afternoon where she drank and freshened up. She rested a while until dusk approached and then as she looked around her she noticed the glow of lights in the distance; too many for an isolated farm. She had reached civilisation.

Angelina got to her feet again, deciding to continue rather than sleep out in the open and she finally arrived in Colorado Springs not long after midnight. By then most of the lights had been extinguished, but one building was still glowing bright. The local saloon, The Gold Nugget. Men were leaving in ones and twos, some walking upright and others staggering, supporting each other.

Angelina kept out of sight until the street was quiet and then approached the door. Lights still flickered inside and as she halted on the porch, she spotted a notice stuck to the inside of the glass in the outer door. "Girls Wanted". Perhaps they needed someone to wait tables or clean. She could see no sign of life, but she knocked on the door and waited a few moments. No one appeared and she pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing it carefully after her.

Suddenly she heard boots thudding on the floor and a door behind the bar swung open to admit a man, presumably the barkeep. He was tall, probably more than six feet, and well built with muscle. His long blond streaked hair fell around his shoulders and his tanned face was covered in stubble. His shirt was open to the waist, revealing the top half of a partly unbuttoned union suit underneath, sleeves rolled up.

"Whaddya want?" he demanded. His voice was deep and rough and Angelina felt a flicker of fear as he strode towards her.

"I…uh…I'm answering the advertisement in the window," she stammered.

He stopped still, tucking his thumbs into his belt and looked her up and down somewhat insolently.

"Ain't from around here, are ya?"

"I'm from Denver."

"So what're you doing in this neck of the woods? Are ya lost?" he drawled.

"No, I'm…looking for somewhere to live and to work," she said.

"Well, could be you've come to the right place. What's yer name?"

"Angelina."

"Nice." He nodded approvingly and stepped closer. "I'm Hank Lawson. I own this place." He walked around Angelina in a circle and her spine stiffened, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end until he reappeared in front of her. She felt decidedly uncomfortable and knew she was blushing.

"Well, we got a couple empty rooms," Hank continued. "Follow me. You can get settled in for a day or two before you start work."

"Oh. Well, I don't mind getting started right away," she said. "I have no money; I'd rather earn my keep."

Hank grinned. "Eager little thing, ain't ya? Can't see that from your appearance." He looked her up and down again. "Ah, well, folks often ain't what they seem."

He turned away and headed through the back of the bar. Angelina followed timidly past two closed doors behind which she could hear strange sounds - creaking and groaning - and she began to feel even more uncomfortable without knowing why. She wondered if she had made a huge mistake by coming into the saloon.

"Here you go." Hank swung open another door and ushered her inside. "This is yours."

The room was quite small, most of the floor space being taken up by a large bed covered in a red blanket, a small chest in one corner with a bowl and jug of water sitting on it and an oil lamp beside them. That was all.

"I'll leave you to it," said Hank and closed the door. Moments later Angelina heard his boots clumping up the stairs.

She had to admit the bed looked comfortable and she was exhausted from her journey and not having eaten since the previous day. She couldn't wait to lie down and fall asleep. She opened up the carpet bag, disappointed to find that she had omitted to pack a nightgown. She did however have her hairbrush. She undressed, keeping her pantaloons and chemise on, freshened up in the water bowl and brushed her hair. Then she blew out the lamp, pulled back the red blanket and the sheet beneath and slid into the bed.

As nervous as Angelina was in these unfamiliar surroundings she fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow and sank into a dreamless sleep. However it wasn't too long before she was disturbed. She heard a door open and close, voices outside and heavy footsteps leading out into the bar. Then more doors opening and closing. She lay awake listening, but then all went quiet again until she heard more footsteps overhead and then on the stairs. Suddenly her door opened and she froze, lying rigid and holding her breath. The door closed and someone climbed onto the bed.

The room was lit only by the faint glow of the moon outside the window, but Angelina could just make out the silhouette of Hank. Her heart began to pound in fear as he slid under the covers and moved towards her.

"What are you doing?" she cried, finding her voice at last and backing away as far as she could before she was stopped by the wall at her back.

"Ssshhh!" hissed Hank. "Whaddya think I'm doing? Fancied sampling the merchandise before I let the men at ya. Come here, don't be shy." He reached out, gripped her by the waist with his large hands and pulled her against his body. She put her hands on his chest and attempted to push him away, feeling warm skin under her palms and quickly realising he wore only his union suit, open to the waist.

"Let me go!" she whimpered, terrified. "Please!"

"Don't like me or something?" he chuckled. "Don't know what kinda place you've come from, but you don't get to pick and choose. You'll get a lot worse than me tomorrow. Most of 'em don't even take a bath." He held her tighter and suddenly his mouth covered hers. She tasted smoke and whiskey and felt the rough stubble on his face against her skin. She jerked her head to the side, tears pricking her eyes.

"Please," she begged again, hearing her voice crack. "Don't."

To Angelina's surprise he let go suddenly and she edged backwards and sat up, wrapping her arms around her knees and resting her chin on them.

"Ain't done this before, have ya?" Hank asked softly.

"No." She let out a single sob and then bit her lip as Hank sat up.

"Hell," he muttered.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "It said 'Girls Wanted' on the door. I didn't realise it meant…" She stopped.

"Whores? Whaddya think it meant? Cook and bottle washer?"

"Y-yes."

"Suppose I should have guessed," Hank sighed. "You're a lady, by the look of you. So what did you do in Denver?"

"I went to school up until a few months ago."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Hell," muttered Hank again. "You're just a kid."

"I suppose I am." Angelina crawled past him to the end of the bed and put her feet on the floor, standing up. She had to get out of there as quickly as possible.

"Hey, where ya going now? It's the middle of the night." Hank got to his feet too.

"I'll…uh…I'll find somewhere to stay," she said, fumbling for her clothes which she had left folded on top of the carpet bag.

A hand grasped her wrist and she froze again.

"Ain't nowhere else," Hank drawled. "This room's empty for now till I find a new girl, or there's one upstairs."

"I haven't any money," Angelina said, near tears again. "Please let me go."

"Aww, come on, you can't head off with nowhere to go." He let go of her wrist and leaned against the door. "Maybe we can work something out about the room."

"I won't be beholden to anyone," she said stiffly. "I can't work here; not the way you want."

"Alright, look. You gave me the idea you can cook. How about you take the room tonight and cook me dinner tomorrow. That'll about cover it. Then we'll talk about where you're gonna go."

"Um…well…" She couldn't really say no. The only other option was a meadow or someone's barn. "Alright. Thank you."

"Good. Get some sleep." He opened the door. "That's what I'm gonna do, since I ain't gonna be having company after all." He went out and closed the door after him.

Angelina stood still for several minutes and listened to him walk back up the stairs and open and close a door overhead. Then she sank down onto the bed, her legs too weak to continue holding her up. She sat there for a long time afraid that he would change his mind and come back, but all was silent and eventually she slid back into the bed and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Angelina woke with sunshine blazing in through the window and rose quickly, attending to her ablutions and dressing in a clean frock from her bag. She braided her hair, having lost most of her pins and then opened the door cautiously, her stomach rumbling in protest at having been so long without a meal.

There was no sound from the other two rooms in the corridor, but she could see another room further down, its door open and a stove visible inside. She walked into this room and discovered a fairly large cooking and eating area. A crust of dry bread was left on the table and she cut off a small piece, desperate for some form of nourishment. She was just contemplating cutting off another piece when she heard boots thundering down the stairs and froze in place, waiting for Hank to appear. He walked down the corridor towards Angelina's room, found the door open and then headed to the kitchen.

"There you are." Hank glanced at the remains of the bread. "Hell, don't eat that."

"I was hungry," Angelina said.

"When did you last eat?"

"I can't remember. The day before yesterday, I think."

Hank cursed under his breath. "I'm going over to Grace's Café for breakfast. You better come with me."

"But I haven't…" she began to protest.

"Any money, I know. Like I said, we'll work something out later. After you cook me dinner." He grinned and walked through to the bar. She followed quickly, too hungry to worry any longer.

Hank led the way out into the street and to the left. Angelina noticed a number of people turning to stare curiously. They must think she was one of Hank's whores. She felt her face warming up and looked down at the ground in front of her as she walked.

Grace's Café was perhaps a hundred yards from the saloon; a fenced off area to the side of the livery with wooden tables and chairs outside. Several people were already seated, some with plates of food in front of them and the smell of bacon and eggs and coffee drifted to Angelina's nostrils. Hank strode over to an empty table and pulled a chair out, gesturing to it.

"Have a seat," he said.

"Thank you." Angelina sat down, surprised by his sudden display of manners.

Hank stepped around the other side of the table and sat down too, folding his arms on the table top. Moments later a black woman in an apron hurried over, frowning slightly.

"What are you doing here, Hank?" she asked.

"Good morning to you, too, Grace," he replied with a grin. "I've come for some breakfast. You do serve breakfast, don't ya?"

Grace's frown deepened and she glanced briefly at Angelina and then back at Hank.

"Alright, tell me what you want then, I'm kinda busy." She waved her hand towards the other customers.

"What you got? Bacon, eggs, hash browns? Two plates of everything. And coffee."

Grace scowled.

"Please," added Hank with exaggerated politeness.

Grace marched away without a word and went to her stove.

"She seems to be in a bad mood," Angelina remarked.

"Grace don't like me, is all," Hank said. "Funny, that." He pulled out a cigar and lit it, dragging deep and blowing smoke rings into the air. "So, why'd you leave Denver?" he asked.

She hesitated for a moment and cleared her throat. "My parents died. I had to leave," she said shortly.

Hank lowered the cigar from his lips and met her eyes, his brow furrowed. "Sorry to hear that. Must have been hard on you."

"Yes, it was." She swallowed hard.

"You not have any other family in Denver? Or friends?"

"No. The bank took my parents' house and all of their so-called friends made themselves scarce once they realised they may end up having to offer a room to me." Angelina was surprised at herself for being so open with this rough man whom she knew little about, but oddly enough he seemed easy to confide in.

"Shame on 'em." Hank now took another suck on the cigar. "You said you ain't got no money, but you look like you come from money," he mused.

"My parents were comfortably off," she said. "I had a little but when I took the stagecoach from Denver it was robbed. The thieves took my money and that of the other travellers; the horses too."

"So where are these other people?"

"Indians came. The two men were killed and the ladies taken."

"How come they didn't take you an' all?"

"I was…uh…out of sight. Freshening up," she said, blushing.

"Ah." He grinned suddenly. "Lucky for you, eh?"

"Perhaps I would have been better off dead," she sighed, reminded all too vividly of the loss of her parents and the nightmare since.

"You wouldn't have been dead if the Indians had gotten hold of you," Hank said. "You know what they do with white women? Use 'em for breeding."

Angelina shuddered and looked down at the table top. Hank continued to smoke his cigar in silence and then Grace returned with a tray containing two plates of food, knives and forks and two large tin mugs of steaming black coffee accompanied by a dish of sugar and a small jug of milk. Hank picked up one mug, dumped several lumps of sugar in it and sipped it. Angelina poured milk in hers, but left it unsweetened.

The food was wonderful. Two large slices of bacon, two fried eggs, hash browns and beans with a thick slab of bread on the side of the plate. Angelina ate every scrap and was only two or three bites behind Hank, who shovelled the food down his neck as if he were feeding a pack of wolves.

"Don't know where you put all that, little thing like you," Hank commented, finishing his coffee.

The girl reddened. "I felt as if I hadn't eaten for a week," she admitted.

Hank grinned and got up. Angelina rose too and Grace immediately hurried over.

"That'll be a dollar," she said.

"Put in on my account," Hank drawled.

"You ain't got an account, Hank," Grace snapped.

"Maybe if I did, you'd get more business outta me." He pulled a dollar out of his pocket and handed it over.

"I'm not sure I need more of your business," Grace said and walked away.

Shrugging, Hank led the way back to the saloon. At the door they met another man whom Hank introduced as Jake, co-owner of the saloon and the town's barber.

"This is Angelina," Hank said, gesturing to her.

"Bit prim, ain't she?" Jake said. "Don't tell me she answered the ad."

Hank glanced down at her. "Nope. Just needed a room." He opened the door to the saloon and propelled Angelina inside. Jake went on his way.

In the bar were two girls, apparently the working girls of the establishment. Both blonde and dressed in frocks barely covering their breasts, the pair lounged around gossiping.

"Mornin', Hank," one said. "Where you been?"

"Out," he grunted.

"Got a new one, then," the other girl commented.

"This is Angelina," Hank introduced again. "And no, she ain't 'a new one'."

"Oh? What's she doin' here then? Keepin' her to yourself, Hank?" the first girl teased, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Mind yer business." Hank put his hand on Angelina's back and hurried her through the rear of the bar and towards the kitchen. "Them two are Kathy and Jane. Sure you can guess what they do here."

"Mmm." She knew she was blushing again. Hank grinned.

"Don't worry about them, they won't give you any bother." He flung open some of the doors in the kitchen sideboard and indicated pots and pans. Then he pulled open a narrow door in the wall which led to a cold storage room. "Plenty of food things in there. You better get started; Jake and me'll be wanting some dinner around two o'clock." He walked out of the room and left her to it.

Angelina stood still for a moment, thinking. She had been lucky really. Hank could quite easily have taken advantage of her. He towered above her by a good ten inches and probably outweighed her by a hundred pounds, but instead he'd been considerate and even bought her breakfast. Whatever might happen after today she at least owed him a good dinner. She went into the storage room to see what she could find to cook.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Two hours later a meat and potato stew simmered in the stove in a large iron pot and Angelina was up to her elbows in flour, making pastry to place on top. Kathy and Jane went into the room looking for something to eat, helped themselves to cheese and beef jerky from the storage room and then loitered, asking questions. They were friendly enough, but coarse with it and initially Angelina felt uncomfortable. However, it turned out that Jane had come from a similar background only she had been orphaned at ten years old, then found work in a saloon some miles away at the age of sixteen. She was now twenty-five and Kathy, a year older, had been the daughter of a whore. Angelina thought she could develop a liking for both of them given the chance.

"So, what're you making?" Jane asked eventually, as Angelina rolled out pastry and laid it on top of the stew, then returned it to the stove for another half hour.

"Stew."

"With a pie top? Mmm." Kathy licked her lips. "Smells good. Too bad we won't get to taste it unless Hank and Jake leave any."

The two of them stayed chattering while the new girl cleaned and tidied, then disappeared as customers could be heard entering the bar. Angelina remained in the kitchen until the pie was finished, then took it out of the stove and placed it on the table. The crust was golden and crisp and the meat smelled mouth-watering. She was pleased with her efforts and hoped it would be appreciated.

Hank and Jake appeared shortly after, just before two o'clock and Angelina served up large portions of the stew with a generous slice of crust, then hovered.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" she asked.

"No, this is fine. Go and join the girls for a while. The three of you can have the rest of this pie when we're done." Hank shoved a forkful into his mouth and nodded appreciatively. "If there's any left."

Angelina left the room and stood out of sight of the bar, unwilling to go out there in front of the customers. Jane went back to talk to her and they chatted a little until some time later the two men emerged. Jake left and Hank sent the three girls to the kitchen to eat their own meal. There was perhaps a third of the large pie left and Angelina shared it out between herself and the other two. When they finished, Kathy and Jane returned to the bar and Angelina cleaned the dishes. As she was finishing the last one she had the feeling of being watched and turned quickly, wiping her wet hands on a rag. Hank was leaning against the door jamb, his arms folded, watching.

"So what're we gonna do with you?" he said with a smile.

"I thought you'd want me to leave," she said.

"Considered it. Then again, I like the idea of having you around if you're gonna cook like that," he commented.

"I'm glad you liked it."

"Best pie I ever tasted," he drawled. "Suppose you were to stay. Room and board and, say, five bucks a week in exchange for breakfast and supper every day for me and sometimes Jake. You can feed the girls too if they're wanting it. And in between keep the saloon tidy, you know clean the tables, collect glasses, things like that."

"But what about the customers?" Angelina asked, realising she would be out in the bar in front of a lot of rough men.

"That's what the girls are for. You can serve 'em drinks if we're real busy, other than that keep outta their way. You can move to the upstairs room. Soon as I get an answer to that ad, you'd have to move anyway. Whaddya say?"

It seemed like a good offer. Cooking and cleaning, free lodging and money too. If anything better came along she could always reconsider later.

"Thank you, Hank," she said. "I accept."

"Good. Now, what else have you got to wear? If you're out in the bar you want to be covering up a little less."

"You mean wear something like Jane and Kathy?" Angelina said in horror.

"Maybe not quite like that. Go and see Myra - she's married to Horace Bing, the guy who runs the post office up the street. She used to work here. She'll probably have something she can pass onto you. She never showed that much, don't worry. She's about your size. Maybe a bit flatter."

Angelina reddened again, realising she was spending at least half her time blushing. She supposed she would have to get used to that sort of talk if she were to work in such a place. She nodded and shortly after set off to visit Myra. She headed for the post office and found Horace Bing, the owner and his wife behind the counter sorting parcels.

"Good afternoon," she began.

"Afternoon, Miss." Horace straightened up and came to the counter. "What can I do you for?"

"Mr Bing?" she asked.

"Yes. And this is Myra, my wife."

"Pleased to meet you," she said. "My name is Angelina. I'm new in town. I wonder if I might have a word with Myra."

"Sure thing. Always willing to make a newcomer feel welcome." Myra squeezed her husband's arm and stepped out from behind the counter. "I was just about to head home, why don't you walk with me?"

Angelina accompanied Myra to their little house a few minutes' walk away, explaining how she came to be in Colorado Springs as they went.

"So you're working for Hank, then?" Myra said as they stepped into the house. "Sent you to me for some tips, did he?"

"No, some….uh…clothes," Angelina said, embarrassed.

"Well, I have to say, you do look a bit proper for the Gold Nugget. Still, my old frocks probably don't show off as much as Hank'd want."

"That's the idea. I'm not working as a …uh…one of the girls. I'm to cook and clean and serve drinks."

"Really?" Myra's eyebrows shot up. "Never known Hank take on a cook before. Must be real taken with you."

"I think he feels sorry for me," said Angelina.

"I doubt that. Hank don't feel sorry for no one. I guess you'd appeal to him, though, all that dark hair, green eyes, nice shape. You're right up his street. So let's see what I've got that'd suit you." She led Angelina into a bedroom and opened a large chest, pulling out several outfits, all of which were much skimpier than Angelina had hoped. Myra selected a dark green dress and one of blue and black stripes. Both would leave the shoulders uncovered except for straps perhaps an inch wide, but the style indicated they would cover most of Angelina's breasts and the skirts were long. Myra held them up one after the other and nodded approvingly.

"You might need to let the lacing in the back out a little bit," she said. "You've more here than me." She patted her hands over her breasts. Then she proceeded to fold the two dresses and wrap them in a sheet. "There're shoes that go with them too. You look like your feet are the right size." She stooped and pulled out a box from beneath the bed, producing a pair of shiny black shoes with heels. "These will suit both frocks."

"I really appreciate this," Angelina said. "How much do you want for them?"

"Aww, nothing, they're just taking up space," said Myra. "Glad to see them get some more use."

Angelina chatted a little longer with Myra and then set off back to the saloon, feeling more nervous than before after what Myra had to say about her being right up Hank's street. When she arrived Hank was engrossed in a game of poker with two other men and she slipped through the bar as quickly as possible, hoping no one would notice her. One man called out to Hank, demanding to know where the pretty new girl had come from, but Angelina escaped through the back before she heard his reply.

She was making for the room she had spent the previous night in when Kathy stopped her in the corridor.

"Hank moved you upstairs," she said. "Your things are in the first room on the left. We got a new girl down here."

"That was quick," Angelina said.

"They come and go." Kathy shrugged. "She's called Marjorie. Bit loud, but I guess she'll fit right in. You'll meet her later. What you got there? Frocks?"

"Yes, from Myra," Angelina told her.

"Better go up and put one on. Hank'll be wanting to show you off." Kathy winked and left the younger girl to it.

Angelina went upstairs and opened the first door on the left. It was a larger room than that downstairs and had a small curtained closet to hang clothes in. Hank had placed her bag at the foot of the bed, which was covered in a patchwork quilt. A large oval mirror hung on one wall.

Angelina closed the door after her and unwrapped the two dresses, deciding to wear the green one that evening. She let out the lacing a little as Myra advised and put it on. It covered less of her than she had hoped, but after some fidgeting and adjusting she managed to hide most of her breasts inside the bodice, leaving only the pale tops exposed. She put on her thick black stockings underneath and the shiny black shoes. Myra was right - they were the same size.

Angelina brushed my hair loose, wishing she had asked one of the girls to spare her a few pins. She would have to leave it for the moment and ask later. She checked herself in the mirror and decided that she quite liked the way she looked. She left the room and went downstairs, pleased to find Kathy waiting for her at the bottom.

"Thought you might want some company, walking in there the first time," Kathy said. "You're just gonna be waiting tables, you know, fetching drinks when the men want 'em and clearing up after they leave."

Angelina nodded.

"Don't be nervous," Kathy added. "They'll all love you."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"You'll get used to it. Come on." She stuck her arm through Angelina's and strode jauntily into the bar. Almost every eye in the place turned on the new girl and she wished she could run back upstairs and hide.

"You just walk around and wait until one of 'em calls out for a drink. Pick up empties as you go," Kathy said. With that she went sashaying across the room, calling out greetings to a number of men who Angelina supposed must be her regular customers. Within a minute or two she was seated on the lap of one man, her arm wrapped around his neck, whispering in his ear.

Angelina did as she was told, walking around, gathering up empty glasses, ignoring the looks and comments from the men and avoiding looking at any of their faces. She was asked by one man to bring refills of whiskey for himself and his companion and she took the glasses away, refilled them and took them back to the table. So far so good. She knew Hank was watching her and she studiously avoided his eyes, taking another lap of the room and filling a second order for whiskey.

Around half an hour passed. Jane came into the bar from the back room and waltzed around, flirting and chatting and then the new girl, Marjorie appeared. Kathy was right, she was loud and brassy, but the men seemed to like her. She was very blonde and very buxom and she took the focus away from Angelina for some time, much to her relief. Eventually, however, all three girls disappeared to their rooms with customers in tow and Angelina was the only female left in the bar. It wasn't long before a man grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her close to him. Only by bracing a hand on the table did she avoid stumbling on top of him.

"You're new," he said. "You and that blonde. Not keen on blondes myself. You gonna show me a good time?"

"I'm only here to serve drinks," Angelina protested, trying to pull herself free. He gripped tighter and raised his other hand towards her breasts.

"Let go!" Angelina looked over her shoulder and found Hank directly behind her, apparently having moved to the next table to chat to the men sitting there.

"You heard her," Hank growled at the persistent customer. "Leave her be."

Her wrist was released, but the man wasn't about to give up.

"Aww, come on, Hank, what you doing keeping a hot little doll like her in your bar if we can't touch?"

Hank's eyes glittered and suddenly his arm snaked out around Angelina's waist, hauling her down onto his lap. She would have struggled but for the fact that he raised his other hand to pull her hair away from her neck and whispered in her ear.

"Relax, I ain't gonna hurt you." Then he turned his head back towards the man at the next table. "Like she said, she serves drinks and nothing else. No one touches but me. You got that?"

"Sure, Hank, whatever you say." The man held up his hands in surrender and then reached for his whiskey again.

"You alright?" Hank asked softly.

"Yes. Thank you."

"Shoulda known this would happen soon enough," he said. "You look real pretty in that dress. You got nothing to worry about, though, I'll be keeping an eye."

Angelina nodded and got up as he loosened his hold on her.

"Could you fetch me a cigar from upstairs?" he asked. "Room next to yours. They're on the chest."

"Of course." She left the bar quickly and hurried upstairs, glad of the opportunity to escape even for a couple of minutes. She opened Hank's door slowly and glanced around the room. He had a large bed with several pillows and an expensive looking quilt and the curtained closet appeared to have more clothes hanging in it that even her father had owned. Angelina's mouth fell open as she gazed about and she had to force herself to shut it, pick up a cigar from the chest and leave the room again.

When she returned to the bar she had no more trouble for the rest of the evening. Everyone in the room had apparently noticed the exchange between Hank and the man who had grabbed Angelina and no one else bothered her, although some did pay her compliments and give her tips for serving them drinks.

At midnight Angelina was allowed to finish although Hank asked her to go into the kitchen and make him some coffee before she retired. Remembering how he had drunk it at the café, she made it strong and black and stirred in three sugar lumps. She heard coming and going outside as men left the saloon, the girls' customers left their rooms and one other man went back to Marjorie's room. Then Hank came into the kitchen. Angelina passed him the coffee and he sipped it and nodded.

"Just how I like it."

Brought up to be honest as Angelina was, she placed the coins she held in her pocket on the table. They amounted to almost two dollars.

"What's this?" asked Hank, puzzled.

"Tips. Some of the men I served drinks to gave them to me."

"Well, they're yours, then," Hank said with a grin. "You earned 'em. You'll double your wage working here, easy."

"Thank you." Angelina smiled despite her tiredness and her continued feeling of nervousness.

"You better get to bed now," he said.

"Shouldn't I clear and wipe the tables first?"

"Nah, leave that till the morning. Place don't open till noon."

"What time would you like breakfast?"

"When I'm up. You'll hear me," he chuckled. "It'll only be me. The girls'll help 'emselves."

"Alright. Goodnight, Hank." Angelina left him to his coffee and went up to her room.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Angelina rose early the next morning, washed and dressed in one of her usual dresses and then went down to the kitchen. There was no sound from Hank's room upstairs or the three girls' rooms and she set about making bread. She made a single large loaf and was just removing it from the stove, golden brown and crusty on top, when she heard heavy footsteps above and then eventually boots thundering down the stairs. She placed the loaf on the table and began cooking bacon and eggs and brewing coffee.

Hank appeared minutes later and seated himself at the table.

"I could smell the bread upstairs," he said, cutting himself a thick slice. "Where'd you learn to cook like this?"

"My mother taught me," she replied, passing him a mug of coffee.

"She done a good job. Hope you're planning on sticking around." He bit into the bread and Angelina put a plateful of bacon and eggs in front of him. She would have left him to it, but he stretched his leg out under the table and shoved out the chair opposite him.

"Sit down and join me," he said.

She slid into the chair and cut a slice of bread, glancing through the door into the corridor as the girls' voices could be heard.

"I can smell fresh bread," Marjorie was saying loudly. "Hope there's plenty, I'm starving!"

"You'll have to wait, Hank'll be having breakfast now," Kathy said.

"Well, in that case, I might just go and see if he wants some company," Marjorie giggled and swept into the room.

"Mornin', Hank," she purred, pulling out the chair next to him, sitting down and leaning towards him. "Did you sleep well?"

"Get out," he growled, not looking at her.

"I thought you might be wanting some company." Marjorie raised her hand and caught a lock of his hair, twirling it around her finger. He knocked her hand away roughly.

"I got company," he said.

Marjorie got to her feet, colouring up angrily. "No need to be so rude. Why does Angelina get special treatment?" she grumbled, backing towards the door.

"Angelina ain't a whore!" snapped Hank.

"Well!" Marjorie swung around and stalked off down the corridor.

"I told you!" Kathy could be heard saying.

Angelina sucked her cheeks in to stop herself smirking and looked down at her plate. When she dared to glance up again, Hank shot her a quick grin before he got up and left the room. Angelina finished her own breakfast and tidied the kitchen, then went into the bar and gathered up glasses to wash and wiped down the tables. It was still only ten o'clock when she finished so she set off outside, deciding to look around the main street of town. So far she had only seen the post office and Myra's house.

The street was much busier than she expected with people and horses coming and going constantly. She passed a barber's shop and then a large mercantile store. She went into this and spent her tip money on a nightdress, some hair pins and some fancy soap. The storekeeper introduced himself as Loren Bray. As Angelina left the store she saw Myra across the street and waved. Myra beckoned and Angelina went over to join her.

"How was your first night?" asked Myra.

"Not bad. It'll take some getting used to, but it seems fine."

"Not have any trouble with the customers?" Myra smiled.

"No, not really."

"I heard there's another new girl, what's she like?" Myra continued conversationally as they walked along together.

"Marjorie. I don't really know her yet; she's pretty loud. Already put her foot in it once this morning."

"She rubs Hank up the wrong way, she won't last long," said Myra. She stopped suddenly. "This is the medical clinic. We got a woman doctor, Michaela Quinn. She's real nice, taken care of me a few times. I'm going in to see her now, do you want to come in and meet her?"

"Yes, alright," Angelina said. "Are you sick, Myra?"

"I'm expecting," she said in a loud whisper. "Got the morning sickness something awful." She rang the bell outside the clinic door and waited for it to be opened. "Don't wanna barge in, someone might be in their unmentionables getting examined," she giggled. "Not that I ain't seen most of this town in their unmentionables!"

The door opened at that moment and Angelina found herself looking at a smart woman in a purple blouse and blue skirt, her waist length hair pulled back at the sides with combs.

"Mornin', Dr Mike," Myra said. "I've someone to introduce to you. This is Angelina, she's new in town."

"I'm pleased to meet you," the doctor said. "I'm Dr Michaela Quinn. Come on in."

Once inside Angelina took a seat and waited a few minutes while Michaela took Myra through to another room to check her over. Then although Myra had to be on her way, Michaela made tea and chatted to for some time. Angelina explained she had travelled from Denver after her parents died and then when she said she worked for Hank, Michaela seemed a little disappointed although she didn't say anything. Angelina guessed the doctor must assume she was one of his girls, but she couldn't find a way to actually tell her that she wasn't. Angelina did find the other woman very nice and she told her not to hesitate to call in if she ever had any problems or even if she just wanted a woman to talk to.

By the time Angelina eventually left it was almost eleven-thirty so she hurried back into the saloon and went upstairs to change. She put on the blue and black striped dress and pinned up her hair, then went downstairs to work.

At the end of the first week Angelina felt as if she had settled in well. Her life had almost become a routine - rising early to bake bread and make breakfast for Hank, cleaning up the saloon, then taking a couple of hours for herself before the twelve hours working in the bar, during which she took an hour or two out to cook supper for Hank and sometimes Jake too. She would fall into bed exhausted shortly after midnight and sleep soundly until daylight coming through the window woke her again.

On Sunday she had less to do. The saloon only opened from three until midnight, but it was usually quiet and she wasn't needed. Hank gave her the five dollars for her first week's work and she put on one of her prim dresses, pinned her hair up neatly and went to church. She saw Myra and Horace walking up the path on the way in and joined them in their pew. She put half of her tips for the week in the collection plate and saved the rest to put with her wage to go shopping the next morning when the mercantile store opened. She was going to need more clothes and certainly a hat and coat.

As time went on Marjorie continued to cause trouble at the saloon, mostly by rubbing Hank up the wrong way. Whatever came into her head to say just poured right out of her mouth without a thought and several times she argued with the other two girls. Kathy and Jane both became good friends with Angelina, but Marjorie never had a good word to say to her. Angelina didn't actually know why this was until Kathy told her one morning after Hank had finished breakfast and gone out and Marjorie had stormed off into her room to sulk.

"She's jealous," Kathy said, sitting down at the kitchen table and cutting some bread for herself. "Have you got any jam?"

Angelina passed her a jar of blackberry jam and sat down.

"Jealous of what?"

"Me and Jane, but mostly you."

Angelina stared at her, puzzled.

"She's got a real liking for Hank," Kathy said. "Y'know, me and Jane have both been here a long time and she knows it. One of the things that's eating her is that he won't go near her. She knows he samples the merchandise before putting it up for sale, but she ain't had a sampling."

Angelina blushed and looked down at her plate, remembering Hank saying that exact thing to her the first night she had been at the saloon.

"He only does it the once; scared of catching something, I dare say," Kathy went on, giggling a little. "Mind you, Marjorie was probably crawling when she came out the womb. Anyhow, she's jealous of us 'cause of that, but she ain't keen on you either."

"Well, she makes it fairly obvious," said Angelina. "I just don't know why. There's nothing between Hank and I."

"Mightn't be on your part, but he's keen on you," said Kathy. "Blind person could see that. I'm betting that's more the reason why he ain't had a go at Marjorie. I'd say Lady Godiva could come an' work here and he'd ignore her."

"Oh, rubbish!" Angelina said, her face flaming.

"Is it? Maybe you oughta open your eyes a bit when he's talking to you; you might see what we all can."

"You must be mistaken," she protested. "I'm just a kid. He said so himself. He's in his thirties, isn't he?"

"You're eighteen," Kathy said. "That's old enough. Guess it just depends on whether you like him or not." She got up from the table, winked at Angelina and left her to it.

Marjorie left two days later. Well, she was fired two days later. Angelina didn't know exactly what happened except that she upset one of her customers and argued with Hank when he took her to task over it, so he paid her what she was due and threw her out into the street. The same evening the sign went back up in the window stating 'Girls Wanted'.

It was answered the following morning by a redhead named Bella. Her hair was the colour of carrots, her eyes bright blue and freckles covered most of her face. She said she was twenty-two and her curvy figure indicated as much, but her face was childlike. She got the job and fitted in like the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Kathy and Jane loved her and so did Angelina when she got the chance to talk to her.

Bella proved popular with the customers and some days equalled the amount of money made by both Kathy and Jane put together. Once or twice Angelina noticed Hank teasing Bella and laughing with her in the bar and wondered about it. More than that she wondered why it bothered her, but she soon found out there was nothing to it.

Sometimes the girls would talk about their customers in the kitchen, regardless of whether Angelina was there or not. Although she wasn't one of them in a work sense, she was one of the group of friends and they didn't hold their tongues in front of her.

"Hank's real nice," Bella said one morning after he'd gone out and the three of them were tucking into some fresh bread. "All that lovely hair and big muscles. Wouldn't mind if he gave me a cuddle one of these days."

"He ain't gonna do that, Bella, if he ain't done it the first day you were here," Jane said.

Angelina turned her back to them as she washed dishes, feeling her face warming up, but at the same time listening with interest.

"Yeah, in the past he's been known to try the new girls out before they get to work," Kathy said. "He won't after the men get at ya, though."

"Maybe he just don't like me," Bella said, letting out a huge exaggerated sigh.

"Ain't that," Jane said. "He's got his eye on someone, that's all."

"Aww, that's a real shame," Bella sighed again. "Never mind. That friend of his, Jake; now he's not bad either. Does he come in here much?"

Angelina smiled to herself as she listened to them, surprised by her huge sense of relief that Hank wasn't interested in Bella or any of the others.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Angelina had been working at the Gold Nugget for almost six weeks now and had begun to feel as if she belonged there. Her confidence had grown and she had got used to most of the customers. The regulars left her alone except for one or two giving her the occasional pat on the rear if she brought them drinks. Those passing through could sometimes be a nuisance, although she got used to slapping their hands away and giving them the sharp edge of her tongue and she never really had any trouble that required Hank to step in.

One morning Angelina rose early as usual to make fresh bread and was just turning it out of the tin onto the kitchen table when Hank appeared, already wearing his long pale duster coat and hat.

"Mornin', Angel," he said. "I won't be around for a coupla days; I'm heading into Manitou this morning."

Angelina still hadn't got used to him calling her Angel. It was really only a shortened version of her name, but it sounded affectionate when he said it.

"Oh? What for?" she asked, beginning to wipe the table.

"Business," he grunted, walking around the table to stand behind her. "Jake'll run the bar. I don't want you working in there until I'm back."

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "I'm sure it'd be fine," she said.

"Just keep out of there."

"Alright." She nodded.

Suddenly Hank reached around her, a kerchief in his hand. "You got flour on your nose." He brushed it off with the cloth and then to Angelina's surprise, bent and planted a light kiss on her cheek. "Take care of yourself." Then he walked out of the room and let himself out the back to get his horse.

Angelina stood there at the table for several moments, not realising she was smiling until Kathy burst in.

"Who tickled your fancy?"

"Pardon me?" Angelina looked up at her and immediately felt her face reddening.

"You're smiling."

"No reason," she muttered. "Would you like some of this bread?"

"Better wait until Hank has his," said Kathy.

"He's not here, he went to Manitou."

"Oh!" Kathy sat down at the table. "In that case..." She picked up a knife and carved herself a thick slice of bread. "You got any cheese? Or jam? I like that blackberry jam."

Angelina took a jar of blackberry jam down from a shelf and passed it to her. It wasn't long before Jane and Bella came in to join Kathy and Angelina sat down to eat with them. After breakfast she tidied and cleaned up in the saloon, then went out to see Myra for a while. If she wasn't to work until Hank came back there was no hurry for her to return.

However, when Angelina returned in the middle of the afternoon and hurried through the bar into the back, Jake was quick to follow her.

"Where the hell have you been?" he demanded.

"Hank told me not to work in the saloon until he comes back," she said.

"Well, I'm running the place and since we're partners, I get to make the rules in his absence," Jake said. "Go and get changed quick and get back down here. We're real busy; got a whole bunch of fellas passing through town in the bar."

"But Hank said..." Angelina protested.

"Like I said, he ain't here and while he ain't, I'm your boss, which means I can fire you if you ain't doing your job."

"Alright." She went upstairs to change, feeling angry and nervous. There wasn't anything she could do about it, but with the bar full of unfamiliar faces she wasn't looking forward to the rest of the day.

Angelina was run off her feet until midnight, serving drinks and collecting glasses. The three girls were busy too, spending most of their time in their rooms entertaining. Several men made grabs at Angelina, but she had learned to be quick in her rebuttals and managed to escape with only a pinched backside and a bruised wrist where one of them grabbed her none too gently.

When she went to bed that night she shoved the chest up against the door just in case, but slept fitfully as she heard activities going on downstairs in some of the girls' rooms long into the night.

The following day was much the same. Angelina started work at noon and spent most of the afternoon dodging grasping hands. One particular man was persistent and tried his luck every time she happened to pass by his table. He and his companions were all loud and vulgar and looked like they hadn't seen a bath or a razor in weeks. Around four o'clock she escaped into the kitchen to wash some glasses, glad to take a few minutes out of sight of lustful gazes.

She jumped and turned away from the washing bowl as she heard footsteps coming into the room and much to her dismay she found herself faced by the greasy visitor from the bar.

"You're not supposed to come back here," said Angelina.

"Thought you and me could get better acquainted away from them others," he drawled, stepping towards her. "I been watching you. You ain't been very friendly."

"I'm not paid to be friendly." Her heart began to pound in fear as he drew closer and she wondered how quickly she could get to the other side of the room where the knives were kept. She didn't have time to do more than think about it as the man suddenly rushed forward and grabbed her by the waist.

Angelina struggled, but he was strong and when she opened her mouth to scream for help a meaty hand clamped over it, cutting off the sound. With a hand over her mouth and an arm around her waist, the attacker dragged her over to the table and shoved her onto it, his arm then loosening as he began to drag at her clothes. In panic she hit out with both hands, slapping and scratching in her efforts to save herself. She got lucky for an instant as she dug her nails into the man's face and drew blood, but it only angered him and he removed his hand from her mouth, clenched his fist and slammed it into her face, striking the bridge of her nose. Angelina squealed in pain, tasting blood and lashed out again, earning another slap before the man grasped both her wrists in one hand and pinned them to the table above her head. With his other hand he pulled out a knife, cut the strings lacing up the front of her bodice and then tore the fabric apart, baring her breasts.

Angelina could barely breathe, almost choking on the blood from her nose and from panic and she gasped desperately, trying to suck enough air into her lungs to shout for help. The man dragged her dress up and then began to fumble with his trousers, the knife still in his hand. She felt the blade catch the inside of one of her thighs, tearing the skin a little and she choked out a sob of pain.

"Shut up, you little slut!" the man snarled, dropping his knife and yanking at his own clothing.

Just as Angelina thought she had no chance of escape, she heard a welcome sound in the saloon.

"What're you doing back so soon?" Jake was saying. She didn't hear what Hank actually said in reply, but she heard his voice.

She turned her head to one side and spat blood, breathed in as hard as she could and then screamed at the top of her voice.

"HANK!"

Angelina heard thunderous footsteps down the corridor and then he exploded into the room. Her attacker was dragged off her and she quickly pulled herself upright, holding her torn dress together across her chest as Hank's fist smashed into the man's face, tossing him back against the wall. Shaking and crying, Angelina watched as Hank continued the beating until the man lay motionless on the floor, his face covered in blood and several teeth scattered about him. Then Hank came towards her.

"Oh God, no, Angel," he groaned, pulling his coat off.

Angelina found she couldn't speak and put her hands over her face, weeping uncontrollably. Hank wrapped the coat around her, gathered her up into his arms and set off down the corridor. She squeezed her eyes shut and hid her face in his neck, not wanting to see the curious faces in the bar looking at her. When she opened her eyes again they were crossing the street towards Michaela's clinic. Hank bounded up the steps as if the girl weighed no more than a feather pillow and kicked the door several times, his hands not being free to knock or ring the bell.

The door opened and Michaela glared out.

"Hank, must you...?" she began and then looked at Angelina. "Oh, good Lord, bring her inside. What happened?"

"Some fella's been at her." Hank followed Michaela through to her examination room and laid Angelina on the bed there.

"Alright, out you go, leave her to me," Michaela said to him.

"I'm staying!" Hank growled.

"No, you're not. Wait outside," she said firmly. "Go!"

Hank left the room, but Angelina could hear him pacing about in the waiting room. Michaela closed the door.

"Did he do this?" the doctor asked softly.

"Who? _Hank_? No!" Angelina cried. "Is that what you think?"

"Hank's not exactly a gentleman," she said. "He doesn't always treat his girls too well. If he's hurt you, just tell me."

"He didn't touch me," said Angelina. "He looks after me."

"Hmm." Michaela sounded sceptical as she began to remove Hank's coat from her patient. "Well, let's take a look at you." She cleaned up Angelina's face and told her that she was lucky her nose wasn't broken, although both her eyes would be black shortly. Michaela removed the torn dress, anxious about the amount of blood between Angelina's legs. She clearly thought it was from something else other than the cut and cleaned this up too, saying there was no need for stitches. When she finished her examination she looked up, astonished.

"You're...untouched," she said.

"Yes, I know."

"But I thought...I'm sorry, Angelina, I thought you were one of Hank's girls."

"You mean whores," said Angelina. "Well, I'm not. I cook and clean and serve drinks sometimes, that's all."

"So how do you come to be in this state?" Michaela asked, helping Angelina sit up and putting Hank's coat back on her.

"There's a bunch of men here from out of town," Angelina said. "Just passing through, but they've spent most of the last two days in the saloon. Hank's been to Manitou so he wasn't around. One of those men got through the back and grabbed me in the kitchen."

"Well, he clearly didn't get what he was hoping for," Michaela said.

"No. He would have, only Hank returned just in time."

"I really don't think you should stay in that place," she said. "I'm sure we can find a room for you somewhere and a nicer place to work. I think I heard Grace mention she needs help in the cafe."

Angelina shook her head. "I'm going back to the saloon."

"Are you sure that's wise? This could happen again."

"Hank'll take care of me."

"What about when he's away again?"

"Then maybe I'll visit with Myra or something. But I'm not leaving."

Michaela shook her head, but didn't try persuading Angelina any further. "I'll go and fetch him then," she sighed.

"Will you tell him?" Angelina asked her. "That I'm alright, I mean. I'd feel embarrassed."

"Of course." Michaela went out and closed the door. Moments later it opened again and Hank came in. Michaela left the two of them alone.

"Are you alright?" Hank asked, looking anxious.

Angelina nodded.

"Michaela said that guy didn't...you know. There was blood on your legs, I thought..." He stopped and dragged a hand through his hair.

"He had a knife in his hand, it cut my leg," Angelina said shakily.

"What were you doing downstairs anyhow, in that dress?" Hank asked. "I told you not to work."

"I wasn't going to. It was Jake," she said.

"What?" Hank's eyes narrowed.

"He said he's the boss when you're not there and if I didn't work he'd fire me."

"That bastard!" snarled Hank suddenly. He turned away and punched the wall. Michaela appeared in an instant.

"What's going on? Hank, you're going to have to leave!"

"Don't worry, I'm going. Take care of her, will you? I'll be back soon." He spun around and stamped out of the building, slamming the door so hard behind him that the nearby window rattled in its frame.

"I'll never understand that man!" Michaela exclaimed. "How he can treat people like this...shouting at you after the shock you've had."

"He wasn't shouting at me, he's angry with Jake for making me work when I shouldn't have been," Angelina said. "Hank hasn't hurt me; he wouldn't." Of that much she was sure despite what everyone said about him. She got shakily to her feet. "I have to go." She took one step and wobbled, grabbing at the edge of the bed. Michaela grasped her arm at once.

"You're not going anywhere, look at the state you're in," she scolded. "I'm going to find you something proper to wear and then you're going to sit down and have a nice strong cup of tea. Then I'll decide what we're going to do."

She opened a cupboard and took out a blouse and skirt, saying she kept spare outfits at the clinic to change into in case she got blood or anything on herself. She helped Angelina put the things on and then made her some tea.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

By the time Michaela closed the clinic at five o'clock Hank hadn't returned and she insisted Angelina accompany her back to the homestead, at least for the night.

"Thank you for looking after me," Angelina said. "I really appreciate it. But I'm going back over to the saloon." She put Hank's coat on again and opened the door. She halted as a man flew out through the swing doors of the saloon and landed in the dust. Yelling and crashing could be heard inside and she chewed her lip nervously.

"You're my patient and I wouldn't be taking proper care of you if I let you go in there while all that commotion is going on," Michaela said firmly, closing the door and locking it. "Come with me."

Angelina was forced to agree and it was with some relief that she climbed into Michaela's wagon and rode back to the homestead with her, which was perhaps a mile out of town. When they arrived the doctor's three adopted children came out to meet them. The eldest, Matthew, took the wagon and attended to the horse. Colleen had cooked supper and Angelina went to join them at the table although she didn't feel she could eat much. She felt sick from her attack and worried that Hank would be beating up his customers and ranting because she wasn't there.

She picked at the mutton cobbler Colleen had made and welcomed the interruption when there was a knock at the door. Michaela got up to answer it and discovered a man outside, whom she invited in to join them for supper. She introduced him as her fiance, Sully. Angelina looked at him curiously. He was dressed like an Indian and deeply tanned. He carried a bow and quiver of arrows on his back and a tomahawk hanging from his belt. The children clearly loved him and all began to chatter together.

With supper finished Angelina offered to help clean the dishes, but Michaela refused to let her and instructed Colleen and the little boy Brian to do it. Angelina sat by the fire talking to Michaela and Sully until there was another knock on the door; this one loud and angry sounding as if someone was hammering on the door with their fist.

"Sully, will you get that, please?" Michaela asked. "I suspect it might be Hank."

"What's been going on?" asked Sully, getting to his feet. "Did he hurt you, Angelina?" He hadn't previously made reference to the fact that both her eyes were black.

"No, it was one of the customers," she said.

Sully opened the door slowly.

"Where is she?" Hank demanded, barging his way in.

"Hey!" Sully stepped in front of him, thrusting his hands out to stop Hank. Michaela went towards them.

"Hank, what are you doing here at this time of night?" she asked.

"I've come for Angelina."

"She's staying here the night," Michaela said firmly. "She needs to rest."

"She can rest in her room," Hank said sourly.

Angelina got to her feet at once and Hank immediately looked past Michaela and Sully towards her.

"Hell, look at your face," he groaned.

"I'm alright. It doesn't feel as bad as it looks," she said.

She went towards him and stepped around Michaela and Sully. Hank put his hand on her shoulder and his thumb briefly stroked the side of her neck. She turned back towards Michaela.

"Thank you for what you've done for me," she said again. "But I'm fine now. I'm going back with Hank."

"I think you'd be better off doing like Dr Mike says and staying here," said Sully.

"Mind your own goddamned business!" Hank snarled at him.

Sully glowered back and took a step forwards.

"Stop it!" Angelina exclaimed. "Both of you! I'm really alright, thank you, Sully. It's time for me to go now. You don't have to worry, Hank will look after me."

"Huh!" Sully snorted, still glaring at Hank.

Angelina unhooked Hank's coat from the back of the door where Michaela had hung it and put it on. Then she pulled the door open and stepped outside.

"Come on, Hank," she said and then thanked Michaela one more time before they walked down the steps towards Hank's horse, which was happily munching a pot of Michaela's flowers that stood on the porch.

Hank lifted Angelina up onto the horse's saddle where she sat sideways, then swung up behind her. He held her tight with one arm as they set off slowly back to town and after a few minutes she relaxed and rested her head against his shoulder.

"What happened to Jake?" she dared to ask eventually.

"He looks worse than you," Hank said gruffly.

"I didn't have the chance to thank you."

"What for?"

"Rescuing me."

"No need," he said stiffly.

"Are you angry with me?" Angelina asked suddenly.

"Hell, no!" he exclaimed, looking down at her. "I'm angry with myself for going off and leaving you in that place. I know what the sorta men that come in there can be like. I shoulda sent you to stay with Myra or somebody while I was gone."

"Well, you didn't know we were going to get a lot of out of town visitors," she said.

"That's one word for 'em!" grunted Hank.

"What happened to...the one that attacked me?"

"Well, he ain't dead if that's what you're thinking. His friends took him away. Lucky for him they did." He halted the horse suddenly. "Look, if you'd feel safer out here, you can stay with the doc. Didn't think to ask, I just lost my temper as usual."

"I'll be fine at the saloon," said Angelina.

"You sure?"

"I feel safe anywhere if you're around," she told him.

His arm tightened around her and he brushed his lips against the top of her head before urging the horse forward again.

When they reached the saloon it was closed up and mostly in darkness. Angelina waited outside the barn while Hank saw to his horse and then they went in through the door at the rear. The three girls were busy in the bar, sweeping up broken glass, righting overturned chairs and tables and wiping up spillages. As soon as Hank and Angelina walked in the girls stopped what they were doing and flocked around.

"Angelina, are you alright?"

"We were so worried!" they chorused.

Hank waved them away.

"You want to take a bath or something?" he asked.

Angelina nodded and set off upstairs. She heard Hank telling the girls to bring some hot water up to her and she went into her room to get her nightdress and soap and other things. Kathy appeared moments later with two steaming buckets of water and poured them into the bath tub in the small room at the end of the landing. Jane and Bella followed shortly with more water and then helped Angelina out of Michaela's loaned outfit. Kathy sprinkled some of her scented bath salts into the water and Angelina gratefully sank into the tub, the water covering her to the neck. The cut on her thigh stung initially, but then the heat soothed it.

"I'll be alright now, thank you," she told the girls.

"We're staying," Kathy said firmly. "Hank said to look after you."

Angelina gave in and allowed herself to be pampered as they took turns sponging her, washing her hair, cleaning her nails and so on. None of them mentioned what had happened to her until she had finished bathing, but then Kathy spoke.

"You wanna talk about it at all?" she offered. "Might help."

"No, not really," Angelina said, but then her mouth began to flap away on its own, pouring out the whole story as she remembered every little detail. When she began sobbing, the girls helped her out of the water, wrapped her in a large blanket and cuddled her as if she were a child.

After a while Jane and Bella began emptying the bath tub and Kathy accompanied Angelina to her room and tucked her into bed. She didn't really think she would sleep, but she found myself dozing off the minute her head touched the pillow.

Angelina never really expected it to happen again. Hank had insisted that if he went away again for any length of time she should go and stay with Myra, but somehow this hadn't happened. Hank was gone and she was still at the saloon. She didn't work, but stayed upstairs most of the time except for when she went to the kitchen to prepare food. She only did this once, preparing some supper for the girls which they could eat whenever they had time for a break.

She stood at the table making pastry, listening to the activity in the bar and looking forward to making her escape back upstairs. She turned away from the table to rinse her hands and when she turned back, a man was leaning in the doorway.

"Well, what're you doing back here all alone?" he drawled.

"You shouldn't be back here," said Angelina.

"Well since I am, I'm thinking you oughta make me welcome." He advanced into the room and stepped around the table towards her.

She looked down for the knife she had been using to cut the shortening, but it wasn't where she left it. There was nothing on the table except for the bowl containing the dough and some scattered flour. She glanced to one side and then the other, unable to remember moving the knife from the table. While she looked, the man suddenly lurched towards her and grabbed her by the shoulders. It was just like before. He was quite drunk, but strong enough to overpower her and much as she struggled and fought, he bore her down onto the table, pinning her there with one hand while he picked up the lost knife where it lay behind the bowl and cut the strings of her bodice with it.

Angelina knew Hank wasn't expected back until tomorrow, but he'd been early before and she prayed that this time would be the same. She summoned up as much breath as she could manage and screamed out at the top of her voice.

"HANK!"

"Shut up, you little slut!" spat her attacker.

She began to fight with renewed efforts, kicking, slapping and clawing.

"Ouch! Damnit!" Hank's voice exclaimed. "Stop!"

Angelina opened her eyes. She was in her bed, Hank sitting on the edge of it gripping her wrists, his face bleeding from a deep scratch apparently inflicted by her fingernails. He let go of her at once.

"You were dreaming."

Angelina sat up slowly and lifted her hand to touch his face.

"Oh, God, Hank, I'm sorry," she said.

"It's nothing," he grunted.

"But your face….."

"It don't matter."

"Did I wake everyone?"

"I think you may have woken the whole town," he said with a smile.

"Oh no." Angelina put her hands over her face, mortified.

"You want me to stay?" Hank asked softly.

She looked up again and hesitated for a moment, then found herself nodding. She lay down and moved across the bed towards the window to make room for him. He slid under the covers and lay down on his back. He didn't touch her, but she could feel the warmth radiating off him and she smelled whiskey and cigars and the musky scent that was just Hank and found it comforting. She closed her eyes again and eventually she slept.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

When Angelina woke with the sun on her face as it streamed through the window, she was alone. She got up, washed and dressed and glanced at herself in the mirror. She had purple rings around both eyes and her face was so pale that it only emphasised the bruises. Grimacing, she headed down to the kitchen to begin making fresh bread for the day.

An hour later the dough had been left to prove and she began cleaning the kitchen table. Kathy walked in as she was finishing this and sat down.

"You alright?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you."

"Nightmares?" She smiled sympathetically.

"I'm sorry, I must have woken everyone," said Angelina.

"Don't matter. I was gonna come up, but I guess Hank looked after you well enough."

Colour flooded Angelina's face. "How did you….?" she began.

Kathy giggled. "He ain't too light on his feet."

"Well, nothing happened," Angelina said.

"I don't suppose it did; he ain't gonna jump on you when you're screaming for help." Kathy put a small bag she had been holding in her lap onto the table. "You want me to help fix your face? A little colour and a little powder should cover up those bruises pretty good. Don't worry, I ain't gonna make you up like a whore."

"Oh, would you?" Angelina sat down beside her. "I look hideous."

"You soon won't." Kathy pulled out various items from the bag and began dabbing and brushing at the younger girl. After about ten minutes she handed over a small mirror and when Angelina looked into it, she was delighted and surprised to see no sign of the bruising. Somehow Kathy had blended cream and powder and covered up the purple marks to make them the same natural colour as skin.

"You're an expert!" Angelina exclaimed.

"Have to be in my business," Kathy said wrily. "Can't avoid getting battered around sometimes."

Kathy left her to it shortly after and she put the bread into the stove and then began making some breakfast; sausage, hash browns and beans. Hank appeared as she was piling the food onto a plate and she put it on the table in front of him.

"You alright?" he asked, staring at her.

"Yes, thank you."

"What'd you do to your face?"

"Kathy put some make up on me to cover the bruises," Angelina explained, pouring him some coffee.

"You look beautiful," he said softly. "Like always."

Angelina smiled and dropped her eyes, feeling her face warming up again. She wished she could learn not to blush so much.

"You gonna sit down and join me?"

"I'm not really hungry," she said, feeling foolishly nervous all of a sudden. "I'll just have some coffee." She sat down and poured some, dumping sugar into it without thinking.

"You don't take sugar," Hank said with a grin.

"No." Angelina set the mug aside. "I guess I'm not really myself."

Hank put his knife down and reached across the table, grasping her hand suddenly.

"It's no surprise you're shook up. I don't want you working for a few days until you feel better. Take some time for yourself," he said.

"I'd really rather work," she protested. Hank just stared at her unsmiling and raised one eyebrow. She knew him well enough to know he wasn't going to change his mind.

"Alright," she said. "But don't pay me if I'm not earning it."

"You will be earning it," he said, squeezing her hand before he let go and returned to his breakfast. "I'll still be wanting supper."

Angelina left the saloon around ten o'clock, deciding to go and visit Myra for a while. She found her weak and sick with morning sickness and spent an hour making her tea and wiping her face until she felt better and began nibbling at some of Grace's cookies.

"Michaela says the sickness should go in another week or two," Myra said. "I sure hope she's right, I can barely keep a thing down."

"You do look pale," said Angelina. "Is there anything else you want me to do for you?"

"No, I want you to sit down and tell me about what's been going on in the saloon!" Myra exclaimed. "All that commotion yesterday. I didn't leave the house, but I could hear shouting and breaking things through the window. Then Jake came out, all covered in blood with a broken nose and his lip split. Was that one of those out-of-towners?"

"No, it was Hank," Angelina told her.

"Hank did that to Jake?" Myra's eyes widened. "Why on earth did he do that?"

Angelina began to recite the whole story again. This time she was able to look at it in more of a detached way and it didn't upset her, although she left out the parts about Hank turning up at Michaela's homestead and causing a scene and then bursting into Angelina's room to save her from her nightmare.

"You poor thing!" Myra put in several times. "Are you alright? What are you still doing there? You know, you can always stay with me and Horace, we have a spare room until the baby comes and after that we could still squeeze you in."

"I'm fine, really," Angelina said. "Thanks anyway. It was only that Hank was away."

"Well, he takes off to Manitou a couple or three times a year," Myra said. "Next time you make sure you come visit over night."

"That's what Hank said too," Angelina told her. "Thank you."

She didn't leave Myra until into the afternoon and then called in at the mercantile store to buy herself a shawl and some new stockings. She saw fresh peaches for sale in a basket out front too and bought two pounds of these. She was about to head back to the saloon when Michaela appeared out of the clinic door and called to her. Angelina went across reluctantly, imagining the doctor would give her a hard time about staying at the saloon.

"How are you, Angelina?" she asked. "Come inside."

"I'm alright, thank you. I appreciate you taking care of me yesterday."

"How's the cut on your leg?" Michaela asked. "May I take a look?"

"Of course." Angelina followed her into the examination room and after a quick look she advised the cut was healing well and there was no infection.

"What about your face? Any pain?"

"No."

"I wish you're reconsider staying at the saloon," she said. "After your ordeal you must be very nervous there."

"I'm really alright," Angelina told her. "I know you're only trying to help, but I'm not going to leave. If Hank goes away again I'm going to stay with Myra."

"And the rest of the time?"

"He'll take care of me."

Michaela frowned.

"You might have known him longer than me, Michaela, but you don't know what he's like with me; how he treats me," Angelina went on. "I feel safe there."

"Alright. It's upto you, of course," the doctor replied, sounding somewhat disbelieving. "You know where I am if you ever need anything."

Angelina returned to the saloon then, considering walking through the main door at first, but then went around to the back and through the door there which led into the passage behind the kitchen. She went up to her room briefly to freshen up, then went back to the kitchen to start preparing supper.

Hank appeared shortly after, leaning in the doorway smoking and watching as she peeled potatoes.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I'm alright, thank you. I spent a lot of time with Myra," said Angelina. "I saw Dr Mike too. She said there's no infection in my leg."

"That's good."

He hovered for a while longer and then drifted back into the bar as someone called out to him. Angelina finished making the stew for supper, left it simmering and then opened the bag of peaches. She would make peach cobbler for dessert.

When Hank came into the kitchen for supper, Loren Bray was with him. Angelina served up stew for them both and intended to leave them to it, but Hank asked her to stay. She sat at the end of the table, eating a small portion of the meal and listening to them talk. When they dug into the peach cobbler, surprisingly it was Loren who offered praise.

"You cook better than Grace!" he exclaimed, then whispered conspiratorily, "Don't let on I said that."

Angelina smiled. "Thank you, Mr Bray."

She washed the dishes and then left them, deciding to get an early night and read a book she had been wanting to get into for weeks and not had the opportunity. She changed into her nightdress, climbed into bed and began to read. By the time the saloon closed she was halfway through the book and she finally put it aside as she heard Hank coming up the stairs a little after midnight. The sound of his boots came along the landing and then stopped outside her door. There was silence for a long moment and she didn't realise she was holding her breath until Hank tapped softly on the door; then she let it out in a rush.

"Yes?"

He opened the door a little and stuck his head around it.

"You want some company?"

Angelina hesitated slightly, her heart pounding and then nodded. Hank stepped into the room and closed the door, then sat on the edge of the bed to pull off his boots. She moved over and lay down, watching him. He threw his boots into the corner, got up again and took off his shirt and trousers. He was wearing a red union suit underneath. She closed her eyes, guessing her face was probably turning the same colour. Hank went over to the chest where the lamp stood and blew it out, then climbed into the bed. As before he didn't touch Angelina, but she could hear him breathing, the sound almost drowned out by the loud thumping of her own heart.

Eventually she slept, free of nightmares although a noise outside disturbed her briefly some time later. She had turned over in her sleep to face the window and found herself resting in Hank's arms. She felt the slow thud of his heart against her back and his warm breath on her neck. She wanted to stay awake and relish the moment, but her eyelids were heavy and she was already drifting back into sleep. When she woke again it was daylight and Hank was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Angelina rose quickly, washed and dressed and applied some of Kathy's make up to her bruised eyes. Peering into her mirror she thought she had made a reasonable job of it and at least the swelling had gone down now. She left her room and was immediately surprised to find the three girls sitting on the stairs in their nightgowns.

"What are you all doing up?" she asked.

Kathy just pointed through the door into the bar area and Angelina turned to look. Hank was sitting at one of the tables, his back towards them, his head resting on one hand.

"What's he doing?"

"Drinking himself stupid," Jane said. "He does that."

"Why now?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," she replied.

"I'll go and talk to him." Angelina stepped past them onto the floor of the corridor.

"You oughtn't to bother him when he's in that state," Kathy said. "He'll most likely just start yelling."

"Don't worry about it," said Angelina. "Why don't you all get back to bed for a couple of hours? It can't be past six o'clock."

"Alright. Good luck." Kathy got up and headed for her room, Jane and Bella quickly following. Angelina walked into the bar.

"Hank?"

"Leave me alone," he grunted, not turning around. She ignored him and went over to his table, pulled out the chair opposite and sat down. A half empty bottle of whiskey and an empty glass stood in front of him.

"Are you planning on drinking that whole bottle?"

"Might do."

"What's wrong?" she asked him.

"Nothing." He picked up the bottle and poured out a large measure of whiskey, then raised the glass and threw the contents down his throat in one gulp.

"Don't tell me nothing. There's obviously something."

"This is killing me," he said, then stopped and went to pick up the bottle again. Angelina moved it out of reach to the table behind her and waited for him to continue. A minute passed and she wasn't sure if he was going to speak again, but then he rubbed both hands over his face suddenly, placed them back down on the table and met her eyes.

"Having you around me all the time, lying next to you at night, trying to keep my distance." He dropped his eyes back down to the table and sighed heavily.

Angelina was surprised. She supposed she should have taken more notice of what Kathy had said, and Myra too, especially with the way Hank treated her. He hardly behaved towards her as if she were an employee and he had made it fairly obvious he had begun to care for her.

"Don't then," she said softly.

"Don't what?" He sounded puzzled.

"Keep your distance."

Hank looked back up in surprise. "How can you have a liking for me?" he asked. "I swear and drink and cause trouble. I ain't good enough for you."

"It's how you treat me that's important," Angelina said. She slid her hand across the table and into one of his. "Where I came from is in the past. I'm not Angelina Hastings from Denver any more. I'm Angel from the Gold Nugget, Colorado Springs. I'm your Angel, Hank." She had no idea where all that had come from or how she'd had the courage to say it. She really had changed.

Hank smiled slowly. "You really say that or did I drink more than I realised?"

"I'd repeat it, but I think I should make you some coffee first," said Angelina. She pulled her hand free and got up.

"Good idea." Hank got up, picked up the whiskey bottle from the next table and shoved the cork back into it, then walked a little unsteadily to the bar to put it back behind the counter. Angelina went to take his hand again and led him into the kitchen. He pulled a chair out and sat down sideways to the table while she brewed some strong coffee.

Angelina left him to drink it while she made dough for the bread and left it to prove. Then as she passed by him he caught her hand suddenly and pulled her towards him. She stepped between his legs and he released her hand again, grasped her by the waist and drew her downwards until she sat on his thigh, her knees pressing against his other leg. Her heart began to pound with nervous excitement and she placed her hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat keeping time with her own. She looked into his eyes, wondering why she hadn't noticed their deep shade of blue before now.

Angelina had never been kissed before, but when Hank kissed her she seemed to respond by instinct. She closed her eyes as his lips caressed hers and slid her arms around his neck to bring herself closer to him. He held her tighter, his tongue thrusting into her mouth. She could barely breathe, her heart felt like it would explode out of her body and she began to feel hot all over. When Hank drew his head back and just held her, she turned her face into his neck, gasping.

"Ooh, sorry, don't mind me!" Bella's voice made Angelina jerk her head up and her face flamed as she looked at the other girl over Hank's shoulder. Bella let out a short giggle and disappeared down the corridor again. Angelina slid out of Hank's arms quickly and got to her feet, going to check on the dough to avoid having to look at him. He chuckled softly, poured himself more coffee and lit a cigar.

He remained in the kitchen while she finished the bread and cooked breakfast. She joined him at the table, but doubted she would be able to swallow a single mouthful of food. Her heartbeat didn't seem to have slowed down in more than an hour and she was having to concentrate fiercely on everything she did to avoid dropping or spilling anything. However, when she tasted a small piece of bacon she realised she was starving and ate bacon, eggs and bread, trying not to keep looking at Hank as he grinned at her across the table.

When Hank finally went through to the bar the girls flocked in at once for some food. All three were giggling and nudging each other, but none of them said anything as Angelina handed out bacon and fresh bread.

"Come on, out with it," she said eventually, sitting down.

"We didn't hear any yelling," Kathy said with a smirk. "Big surprise, that."

"Not so big," Jane added. "You sure know how to cheer up Hank."

"Looked like he was having you for breakfast, that must be why there's all this bacon left," Bella giggled.

Angelina did her best to keep a straight face and considered telling them to shut up or just laughing it off, but they were her friends and in the end she just said what she thought.

"You're going to have to get used to it, I suspect," she said, tongue in cheek.

They giggled and teased for a while longer, but then Kathy squeezed her hand and smiled. "I'm real glad," she said. "It's about time Hank found somebody, I don't like seeing him lonely. You're real good for him."


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

After the bar opened, Angelina went out to see Myra again. She was feeling better that day and said she hadn't been sick once.

"I hope it lasts," she sighed. "I love food too much to be too sick to eat. Anyhow, what's your news?"

"I haven't any especially," Angelina said.

"No? So why do you look like you just found a gold nugget in the yard? Pardon the pun."

Angelina giggled. "Hank kissed me," she admitted eventually.

"About time too," Myra said cheerfully. "I knew he was keen on you."

They spent a couple of hours chatting and then Myra wanted to go over to the mercantile store to buy some supplies so Angelina went along with her. They wandered around the store, whispering together while Loren glanced curiously at them from time to time. Myra asked him to bring out the catalogues from which anything could be ordered within reason and they began looking at clothes.

"I'd love some new frocks," Myra sighed. "Not much point at the moment though, I'll be getting fat soon, I'll just have to wait until after the baby comes." She flicked through a few more pages and found some nightgowns and robes.

"I'd love one of those too. Maybe next year. Hey, you should get one."

"I just bought a nightgown the other day," Angelina said. It was cotton, trimmed with lace and covered her from neck to ankles.

"Not like these, I bet," Myra giggled. "Why don't you treat yourself? This one would look beautiful on you." She pointed to a floor length garment made of satin, its top half having a close fitting bodice and narrow straps for the shoulders. It had scraps of lace on the bodice and over the top of the breasts and a small satin bow between.

"I couldn't wear something like that," Angelina gasped.

"Of course you could. Hank'd love it," Myra whispered.

"I'm not….!" Angelina began to protest.

Myra giggled. "You telling me he ain't seen you in your nightgown?"

"Um…." Angelina blushed fiercely and Myra elbowed her.

"I was joking. I thought you said it was just a kiss."

"It was. I mean, I had nightmares the other night. Screamed the place down apparently. He came charging in to rescue me from it."

"Aww, he does like to be a hero," Myra said. "So, are you gonna buy it, then?"

"No."

"It'd be nice to treat yourself to something like that."

Angelina peered at the catalogue again. "It's twelve dollars!" she gasped.

"So? Love ain't got a price."

"I'm not buying it," she said firmly.

"Oh, alright." Myra sighed heavily. "I'm just an incurable romantic." She looked over her shoulder and noticed Loren hovering close by, doing his best to eavesdrop. "Come a bit closer, Loren, you can't possibly hear us from there," she said.

"Uh! Well!" Loren scuttled off behind the counter looking embarrassed. Myra went to pay for her items, catching sight of the clock on the back wall.

"Oh, look at the time, I should hurry. Horace will be home soon." She paid Loren quickly. "Are you coming with me, Angelina?"

"Actually I thought I'd look at the books first," Angelina said, glancing over at the shelves to the left. "I've almost finished the one I'm reading."

"Alright, maybe I'll see you tomorrow." Myra gathered up her things and left the store.

Angelina spent a few minutes looking through the books and picked one out that she thought she would like to read.

"That all, Miss?" Loren asked.

"Yes, thank you," she said.

"Not thinking of ordering one of those fancy gowns you were looking at?" he asked with a wink.

"No, Mr Bray, I'm not," Angelina said firmly. Twelve dollars for a nightgown? Besides, when would she ever wear such a thing?

"Fifty cents for the book," Loren said. "You know, this store's a bit like Dr Mike's clinic over there, really."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Well, she don't say what's wrong with people she treats. Patient confidentiality, you know. It's sorta like that here too. Me and Dorothy don't let on if a customer wants to order something special, private like."

"Well, thank you, Mr Bray, that's good to know," said Angelina. She handed over the fifty cents and left quickly. Twelve dollars, she thought to herself again as she returned to the saloon. That's more than two weeks' wages. What a waste of money!

That evening Angelina ate supper with Hank as usual and afterwards he told her to leave the dishes and talk to him a while. He got up and closed the door, then leaned his back against it.

"What about the bar?" Angelina asked.

"Jake's minding it."

"He's forgiven you for the broken nose, then," she smiled.

Hank grimaced. "Eventually. Had to grovel some."

"I'm surprised you know how to grovel," she teased.

"It ain't something I do often. Come here, stop pacing around."

Angelina went to him and he pulled her into his arms at once and bent to kiss her. She melted against him, her pulse immediately quickening. They didn't part for several long minutes and then it was Hank gently pushing Angelina away with a groan. He gave her one last quick kiss on the nose, then stepped away from the door and yanked it open. He shoved his hands into his pockets and disappeared back into the bar. Angelina pressed her hands to her cheeks, breathless and hot.

She turned away to attend to the dishes as Jane appeared to get some supper.

"You look as hot under the collar as he does!" she exclaimed.

"Shut up and eat your supper!" Angelina grinned, turning to shove a plate in front of her.

Angelina went to bed early to read again that night and finished her current book. She started the new one and read a few chapters, but found she couldn't keep her eyes open so she put it aside and blew out the lamp. It wasn't yet midnight and she could still hear the noise from the bar drifting up the stairs, but it wasn't loud enough to disturb her and she slept.

She woke briefly some hours later and found herself alone. She rolled over and pressed her face into the pillow. It smelled of Hank and she missed having him there. She closed her eyes again, wrapped her arms around the pillow and remembered how it had felt lying in his arms the previous night. It occurred to her that if he was there now she would have turned towards him and held onto him too. She drifted back into sleep with a smile on her face.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

On Monday Hank reluctantly agreed to let Angelina return to work in the saloon. The bruises around her eyes had vanished and although she still felt nervous, she knew Hank would be watching her like a hawk so she didn't worry about anything happening. The regular customers seemed pleased to see her and by the time the bar closed at midnight she had almost five dollars worth of tips for that one day. She debated going along to Loren's store on Tuesday morning to buy herself something, but then decided she would save it for the rest of the week rather than fritter it away immediately.

Wednesday there was a visitor to the saloon; one which proved very unwelcome. Hank and Angelina had just finished eating supper and he returned to the bar quickly, expecting trouble as the noise level in there suddenly rose. Angelina followed, but stood outside the door looking in.

Kathy, Jane and Bella were all in their rooms with customers, but the noise came from appreciative cheers from the rest of the men as Marjorie flounced and flirted amongst them. Angelina was surprised to see her back after Hank had fired her, but she had apparently forgotten this and when he strode into the bar she turned her attention from the men and threw herself at him.

"Why, Hank, how nice to see you!" she said loudly, draping herself around his neck. He shook her off immediately.

"What are you doing back here?" he demanded.

"Well, I thought I'd pay you a visit; you could be a little more welcoming." The saucy creature stepped closer to Hank again, slid her arm around his waist and gave his backside a squeeze. Several men cheered. Hank grasped her wrist and thrust her away from him again.

"You ain't welcome here," he growled. "Get out!"

"Aww, come on, Hank, I'll make her welcome!" someone called out.

"You know I'll be good for business," Marjorie said. "Maybe you should give me my job back."

"I don't need any more girls," Hank said. "And I wouldn't be taking you back if I did."

"Oh, such a spoilsport!" Marjorie pouted. "Well, you can't stop me drinking here; who's gonna buy me a drink?"

A couple of men shouted out and she immediately went to one of them and perched herself on his lap. Hank glowered and walked behind the bar. Kathy and Bella appeared at that moment, straightening their skirts and stopped either side of Angelina.

"What's going on out there?" Kathy asked.

"Marjorie's here," Angelina said.

"Who's Marjorie?" asked Bella.

"She got fired. You got her job," Kathy told her. "What's she doing?"

"Causing trouble," Angelina told her.

"Well, let's go and cause some of our own," Kathy said, linking her arm through Angelina's. "Come on, girls!"

The three of them walked out into the bar and immediately had the attention of most of the patrons, with the exception of those sitting at the table where Marjorie was. Hank glanced over at Angelina and smiled sheepishly. Kathy and Bella began wandering around, flirting and teasing and Angelina responded to a request for whiskey from the next table to where Marjorie sat. She picked up the three empty glasses and walked over to the bar. Hank refilled them.

"Damn that woman!" he muttered.

"Maybe you should throw her out again," Angelina suggested.

"The whole damned bunch'll probably follow her," he grunted, glaring across at the men surrounding Marjorie.

"No, they won't. They've got us to keep them busy," she said, glancing over at Kathy who was standing on a chair, holding her dress up to show her stocking tops to a delighted group of men.

Hank grinned. "So long as you don't go doing that."

"I've a better idea than that." Angelina picked up the glasses of whiskey and returned to the table to deliver them. One of the men, who she knew to be called Dick Lutter, gave her hand a squeeze and pressed a coin into it. Then she turned as one of the men being entertained by Marjorie called out.

"Hey, Angelina, we'll have some refills over here please," Charlie Bains said.

"Sure." Angelina bent over and gathered up their glasses.

"Get me a beer," Marjorie said.

"Please," Angelina prompted. Marjorie just laughed.

"These gentlemen here have manners enough; if you can't manage it, you'll have to fetch your own beer," Angelina told her.

"Please," Marjorie said, glaring. "While you're at it, tell Hank I'll be over there in a few minutes to see if I can't cheer him up."

"You keep away from him," said Angelina. "If he's in need of cheering up, I'll be the one to do that."

"Ohhhhhh!" cheered the men.

"Lucky bastard," Charlie Bains put in. Angelina smiled at him and returned to the bar.

"What the hell's going on now?" Hank muttered, apparently not having heard the exchange between Marjorie and Angelina.

"Don't worry about it," she said, placing the whiskey glasses on the bar. "I don't suppose she'll be hanging around too much longer."

Hank began filling the glasses.

"Marjorie wants a beer too," she said.

"She ain't getting it."

"Humour me." Angelina stood on tiptoe, leaned over the bar and gave him a light kiss.

"Woooaaahhhh!" came from behind her.

Hank looked over her head as she drew back and winked at someone. Then he picked up a tall glass and filled it with beer, handing her a tray to carry the five drinks. As she returned to the table she could hear Marjorie saying that if Angelina thought she could keep her away from Hank, she was in for a shock.

"You're wasting your time, darlin'," Kathy said as she hovered nearby. "Hank's only got eyes for Angel, here."

Angelina began handing out the whiskey, leaving Marjorie's beer until last.

"Whatever happened to ladies first?" Marjorie said sharply.

"If there was a lady in here wanting serving, I'd certainly have attended to her first," Angelina said with a smile. She picked up the beer and thrust her arm towards Marjorie quickly. "Here you are."

More than half of the beer slopped out of the glass, spraying onto Marjorie's face and neck and down the bodice of her dress. Kathy squealed out in delight and began laughing loudly.

"Oh, you bitch!" Marjorie cried, leaping to her feet. She looked as if she were about to strike Angelina, but Charlie Bains sprang up too and grabbed her raised arm before Hank could even jump over the counter and start towards them.

"That's enough," Charlie said. "Think you've about outstayed your welcome."

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" she said, pulling her arm free.

"You heard him. Get out. You've been told once already," Hank growled at her. He went to stand behind Angelina and wrapped his arms around her.

"Well! I've never met such a bunch of rude, inhospitable people in my life!" Marjorie exclaimed, wiping her wet face with both hands. "I'm going where I'll be appreciated."

"Good riddance!" said Kathy.

Marjorie flounced towards the door, halting there for a second and looking back over her shoulder.

"You're all gonna regret this!" she shouted. "All of ya! But especially you, Hank Lawson!"

"Yeah, sure I will," Hank said with a grin.

Marjorie marched off, to a chorus of jeers and foot stamping from most of the customers. Hank steered Angelina away from them to the rear corner of the room, still grinning.

"I oughta keep an eye on you," he teased. "You're gonna end up causing as much trouble as I do myself."

"Blame yourself, then," she said. "It must be rubbing off on me."

Hank cupped her face in his hands and tipped her head back, bending to kiss her. After a moment and amid more cheers from the men, he backed off quickly and retreated behind the bar.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

With Marjorie gone, things quickly settled down and Angelina continued serving drinks and collecting glasses until midnight. The girls were still busy in their rooms so Hank closed up, put out most of the lights and then followed Angelina upstairs. He halted her outside her room and they kissed for several minutes. Angelina leaned on the wall and Hank held her tightly, pressing his body hard against hers as his kisses grew increasingly heated.

Her heart hammered in her breast and she could barely breathe. Hank's lips left hers and began to drop light kisses along her cheek to her ear, his hands running through her hair, making her shiver. When he reached past Angelina to open the door to her room and began to manoeuvre her inside, she opened her eyes and met his. He paused before he touched her again, although he didn't speak. Angelina stretched her arm out behind him and pushed the door closed.

Hank bent to kiss her again, his arms sliding around her waist. He began to loosen the ties at the back of her dress, then pulled the narrows straps off her shoulders so that the dress gradually slithered down her body and pooled around her feet, leaving her clad in only her underwear. Then he scooped her up into his arms, walked over to the bed and laid her in the middle of it. He pulled his boots off quickly and a moment later lay down beside her, drawing her into his arms again.

Angelina began to feel an unfamiliar ache inside her, which grew increasingly impatient to be appeased as Hank's hands stroked over her body, removing her chemise, his mouth exploring her throat and eventually her breasts. She rolled her head back on the pillow, gasping, her eyes closed, her body hot and her heart pounding.

Hank paused and drew away slightly, pulling off his shirt and sliding his arms out of the top half of his union suit. Angelina reached up and put her hand on his chest, feeling the beat of his heart, the warm skin stretched taut over muscles, the sprinkling of soft hair. He lowered himself down onto her and she squirmed beneath him, loving the feel of him against her bare breasts.

Angelina knew what she considered a fair amount about the facts of life, mostly picked up from the girls' conversations in the kitchen, which had frequently embarrassed her, but helped her understand a lot that she hadn't previously, but never having experienced any of it, she was surprised by the pleasure she felt when Hank touched her and her increasing excitement by the obvious feel of his own. There was just one thing that still worried her.

"Hank," she whispered.

He stopped kissing her and drew back slightly. "You alright? Should I stop?"

"No. I just….I'm worried about getting pregnant," she said, glad the darkness hid the colour of her face.

"Don't be," he said. "I'll take care of it."

She relaxed and he continued to kiss and touch her, slowly drawing off her pantaloons so that she lay there naked, taking a moment to rid himself of the rest of his clothes and then resuming his gentle exploration of her body. For a moment she froze as his fingers slid between her legs, but she quickly melted again, her limbs feeling as if they had turned to liquid, every part of her tingling as Hank brought her to a shuddering orgasm.

This was something she hadn't been able to learn from the girls and she dug she fingers into the straw-tick, her toes curling, her eyes popping open wide with shock.

Hank withdrew his hand and slid his arm around her, grinning. Angelina turned towards him, panting, wondering if she would be able to summon up the courage to touch him in such an intimate manner. Perhaps if she didn't he'd be disappointed, but on the other hand, maybe he wouldn't like her to be so forward. However, she didn't need to worry about it for more than a few seconds. He took her hand in his and placed it on his stomach. The muscles jumped under her touch and his hard penis bumped the back of her hand. She moved her hand slightly and curled her fingers around it, almost holding her breath. She stroked her hand lightly down it until she reached the point where it joined his body, then slid it back up again to the tip. It felt like iron covered with velvet and was bigger than she had expected.

Angelina wrapped her hand tighter around it and began to stroke up and down, feeling it throb and twitch in her palm. Hank sucked his breath in through his teeth and let out a deep groan. She never could have imagined herself doing this even a few short weeks ago, but now she wanted to touch and kiss and taste. She propped herself up one elbow, bending over Hank to kiss him, on the lips and then along the side of his face to his neck and down to his chest.

She could hear the thump of his heart and feel the pulse in his penis which matched it as she stroked. He lifted one hand to touch her hair, running his fingers through it as she worked her way from one side of his chest to the other, scraping his skin lightly with her teeth and tasting the saltiness of sweat.

Hank's body began to tremble beneath her touch, he breathed harder, groaning, and she raised her head to look at his face in the dim light from the window, moving her hand faster until she felt the warm fluid shoot out of him onto her hand and his stomach. She took her hand off him reluctantly, trembling herself now, becoming aware of the wetness between her thighs from Hank touching her previously and from her own excitement as she touched him.

They lay together for a short while then, Angelina's head resting on Hank's shoulder, his hand in her hair. She could feel his heartbeat still fast and uneven and showing no signs of slowing. Then he rolled over, pushing her onto her back and beginning to kiss and touch her all over again.

She was excited and nervous, her senses spinning and she was only partially aware of Hank pulling away from her, bending over the side of the bed to where he had thrown his clothes, then kneeling, doing something to himself that she couldn't make out. She reached her hand out and touched his thigh, raised it further and touched his penis, hard again and now covered in a rubber sheath.

When he lay back down, between her thighs this time, she thought briefly that in a few minutes she would no longer be innocent; untouched as Michaela had put it. She slid her arms around Hank and held on tight.

It hurt - a lot. Angelina squealed out before she could stop herself and then bit her lip. Hank held still, touching her face gently.

"You alright?"

"Mm," was all she could manage.

"It's alright, Angel, it won't hurt any more," he whispered.

She forced myself to relax, her muscles loosening slowly and after a moment he began to move again. He was right; it didn't hurt any more. He filled her and it felt impossibly tight for a few seconds and then her body was moving with him, responding to each thrust of its own accord.

Angelina ran her hands down Hank's back, his skin slippery with sweat, dug her nails in as that delicious hot, tingling sensation began to take her over again. Hank was only moments behind her, his body shuddering before he sank heavily onto her, panting into her neck, slowly slipping out of her. He pulled away then, rolling onto one side, still holding her. Angelina reached up to touch his face, slid her hand around the side of his neck, feeling his hair wet and heavy sticking to his flesh.

Eventually she was able to breathe normally again and her pulse slowed. She almost felt drugged and her eyes didn't want to stay open. Hank shifted slightly, pulled the quilt over them and drew her into his arms again, holding her close, his lips brushing hers gently a few times until suddenly his breathing deepened and she realised he was asleep. Angelina stopped trying to keep awake then and slept too.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

Angelina was disturbed some time later by Hank coughing. He rolled away from her, leaning over the side of the bed and coughing so hard she thought he would vomit. She opened her eyes, sat up and immediately smelled smoke.

"Hank?" She put her hand on his back and he pulled himself up, gasping.

"Must be a fire." He got up, dragged on his union suit and opened the door. "Stay there," he said. "Put something on." He closed the door again and Angelina quickly got out of the bed, fumbling around in the dark for some clothes. She discovered her chemise and pantaloons on the floor by the bed and pulled them on, then groped around for her dress. She was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe and it was impossible to see anything.

The room was rapidly filling with smoke and she realised it was coming under the door and through the gaps in the floorboards. She coughed and tried to drag air into her lungs, but only breathed in more smoke. Choking and gasping, she dropped to her knees on the floor. It didn't occur to her to open the window, but she had begun to feel so dizzy she could barely think. All she wanted to do was lie down, but she could hear Hank shouting her name.

"Angel!" he yelled, right outside the door and then afterwards she heard only choking and coughing.

Angelina made her way slowly on hands and knees to the door and somehow reached up, grasping for the door knob. She pulled the door open and then leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Her head and chest hurt and she couldn't see anything.

"Angel! Get up!" Hank wheezed suddenly, right in her ear.

He grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet. Her legs felt too heavy to move and she began coughing again, trying desperately to find fresh air where there was none. She sank back down to her knees, only dimly aware of Hank stumbling over her into the room. Then a wet cloth was thrust over her head and Hank was pulling her up again, choking in her ear as he tried to speak.

"Hold this. Don't let go." She felt something in her hand - a round metal loop, like a handle of some kind. She closed her fingers around it and then she was being lifted up. She let her head roll back, her arms and legs dangling limp, but she didn't let go of that metal loop.

Angelina realised they were descending the stairs and the smoke seemed less dense there. She was still choking, but not quite so hard. She could feel a draft of cool air from somewhere and heard shouting. She forced her eyes open as Hank lurched through the door into the bar. He bumped into a table and almost fell, but then carried on.

Angelina took a deep breath and lifted her arm to wrap around Hank's neck, holding tight as he staggered and almost dropped her. By the time they reached the outer door, she was aware enough to realise that they were about to burst into the street in their underwear. Then suddenly she breathed fresh air, completely free of smoke and felt rain on her face.

Hank took another step away from the saloon and then dropped to his knees in the mud, supporting himself with one hand and still clutching Angelina with the other. Then he let go and she slid onto her back on the wet ground.

Hank bent double, choking and heaving, apparently unable to get his breath. Then they were surrounded by people. Angelina was lifted up again, this time by Jake and when she looked around she saw Loren, Horace and Myra bending over Hank. He lay unmoving on the ground as the rain poured down on him.

"Put me down!" she gasped, struggling. "Jake! I'm alright. Put me down. You have to help Hank." She stopped talking and coughed until she thought her head would explode.

Jake ignored her and carried her up the steps to the clinic. It was locked, but he thrust his shoulder against the door and burst in.

"I'm going for Dr Mike!" someone shouted and a horse thundered past.

Jake set Angelina down on one of the beds in the examination room and then rushed back out into the rain. She tried to get up again, but her head spun and ached and she remained where she was, coughing, until Jake, Loren and Horace appeared, carrying Hank. He was unconscious and they laid him on the other bed a few feet away.

Myra, Kathy and Jane all flocked in and several other folk appeared until the room was crowded. The men all charged out again, Loren shouting instructions as they went to make an attempt to put the fire out.

"Who went for the doc?" Kathy asked.

"Sully," said Myra, going to Angelina's side. "Angelina, can you breathe alright?"

"Yes," she wheezed. "Just feel sick. What about Hank?"

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Myra said. "Jane and Kathy are looking after him until Dr Mike gets here. Hey, what's this?" She touched Angelina's hand. Angelina found she was still clutching the small handle as if her life depended on it. She looked down and saw that it was attached to a square metal box with a lock on it.

"I don't know," she said, but clutched it to her breast with both hands.

"Shall I put it somewhere safe for you?" offered Myra.

"No!" Angelina clutched the precious box tighter, wondering what could be so valuable that other than herself, this was the most important thing for Hank to save. Myra wrapped a blanket around her and stayed beside her, holding her hand and wiping her mouth every so often as she continued to cough and splutter at intervals.

It seemed to take an age before Dr Mike and Sully arrived on horseback. Angelina was beside herself as although Kathy and Jane reported that Hank was still breathing, he was unconscious and she could hear his chest rattling from where she lay on the other bed.

Michaela went to Angelina first and she sat up quickly, hanging onto Myra for support as her head spun.

"Please, look after Hank first," she said. "He's much worse off than me."

Michaela turned away and began to work, giving instructions to Sully as she did so. Minutes later he took a steaming cup of hot water over to Angelina and told her to inhale the steam with every third breath.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Chloroform," Sully said.

"I don't want to go to sleep!" she exclaimed and then bent double in a paroxysm of coughing.

"You won't," Michaela said, her back turned to Angelina as she bent over Hank. "It'll relax your lungs and help the swelling in your throat from the smoke. It'll help you stop coughing."

"Alright." Angelina nodded and Myra took the cup from Sully and held it for her. She breathed deep and tasted a strange, thick sweetness. After that first breath, she barely noticed. Most of her attention was on Michaela and Hank.

Twice Michaela told the crowd of people around him to back away and give her more space. Hank was unconscious and struggling to breathe. Michaela applied chloroform on a cloth, directly covering his nose and mouth. Meanwhile Angelina continued to breathe from the cup until it went cold. Then Myra put it to one side and brought a wet cloth to wash her face and arms which were smeared black from the smoke mixed with rainwater.

Angelina gradually began to feel better except for the persistent headache and Myra found one of Michaela's spare outfits for her and helped her to clean up properly and dress before the men returned a couple of hours later.

"Fire's out!" Jake announced as they trooped in.

"Thank goodness for the rain, it helped plenty," added Loren.

"Is there much damage?" Kathy asked.

"Kitchen's ruined," Jake said. "That must have been where it started. The upper floors will need rebuilding. The bath tub and Hank's bed fell through into the corridor. The rest of it's just smoke."

"Could it be my fault?" Angelina asked. "I know I put the stove out, but…."

"Weren't the stove," said Jake. "Someone broke in through the back door. It's been forced open and there are footsteps. Little ones with heels on. You know, little spiky heels like women wear."

"Marjorie!" Angelina exclaimed. "That evil creature! The last thing she said…" She stopped and began to cough again.

"She said, 'you're all gonna regret this, especially Hank'," finished Loren.

"Anyone know where she went? I'll kill her!" cried Jake.

"Calm down, man, you'd get strung up," Loren said. "Anyhow, she'll be well away from here by now. Let's worry about what's important here right now, shall we? Dr Mike…how's Hank doing?"

"Well, he's stable," she said. "The chloroform has steadied his breathing, but there must be a lot of smoke in his lungs. His throat's very swollen too."

"Will he die?" Angelina asked.

"Not if I can help it."

"Where's Bella?" Jane asked suddenly. "Has anyone seen her?"

"No," a number of people replied.

"Come on, Jake, we'll go and look for her," Loren said, apparently anxious for something to do. The pair turned out into the rain once more and after a moment Jane and Kathy followed.

Leaning on Myra, Angelina slid off the bed she was still sitting on and stood up unsteadily. Michaela had just fetched a fresh bowl of water and a cloth to clean some of the smoke off Hank and Angelina took the cloth from her.

"Let me do that," she said tearfully. "At least I can do something for him."

"Alright." Michaela pulled a chair over and placed it beside the bed. "But sit down if you feel dizzy at all. Myra, keep an eye on her please." Michaela went to clean up the bed Angelina had vacated and she began gently washing Hank's face and neck. His skin had a blueish tinge to it beneath the smoke and the area around his eyes was red.

"Dear God, please let Hank be alright," she whispered. "Don't leave me now."

With Myra's help Angelina carefully pulled Hank's arms free of his underwear, then washed his chest, hands and arms. Angelina had just finished and covered him up with a blanket when Jake stumbled in again carrying Bella, who lay limply in his arms.

"She was in the bar area," Loren said. "She must have been trying to get out and been overcome by the smoke."

Jake placed the girl on the other bed and Michaela hurried to her side. Kathy and Jane stood either side of her, both crying. When Michaela pronounced Bella dead, both began to wail and fell into each other's arms. Tears began to roll down Angelina's cheeks too as she sat beside Hank and although she cried for Bella, her death also made Angelina more worried about Hank. If Bella hadn't survived there was a possibility that he wouldn't either.

Eventually people began to leave the clinic, there being nothing further anyone could do that night. Myra took Kathy and Jane home with her since they were unable to return to the saloon. Jake moved Bella into the examination room and covered her with a sheet, then closed the door and left. Only Michaela and Sully remained, Michaela saying she wouldn't set foot outside while Hank was unconscious and Sully insisting on staying with her.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

It was a long night. Michaela tried to get Angelina to lie down and sleep, but she knew she wouldn't be able to and Sully brewed tea a couple of times to keep everyone going. Eventually Angelina must have dozed off and she woke to find her head resting on her folded arms on the edge of Hank's bed. She jerked upright quickly. Michaela was bending over him and listening to his chest with her stethoscope.

"There's definitely some improvement," she said. "That rattling, wheezing sound in his lungs is gone and the swelling in his throat has gone down."

"So why doesn't he wake up?" asked Angelina.

"His body's resting. Give it time."

Angelina sat there for another couple of hours until she was forced to leave the room to attend to a call of nature. Luckily the clinic had indoor plumbing, not common in Colorado Springs, and she spent some time freshening up before she returned to the treatment room.

She stayed all day at the clinic and still Hank didn't wake. Myra brought her some fresh clothes and Jake and Loren took Bella away to bury her. Kathy and Jane sadly went to see her off and then returned to the saloon where they spent several hours scrubbing their rooms to remove the smoke, reporting later that there was nothing to stop them moving back in there. They said that several of the men had already started work on rebuilding the kitchen and the floors upstairs, ordered by Jake and led by Robert E.

That night Angelina slept on the second bed in the clinic's treatment room with Michaela dozing in the other room. By morning Hank still hadn't woken and his breathing seemed rough and raspy again. Jake and Sully arrived early to see how he was doing and Angelina took the opportunity to go out for some fresh air. She didn't want to, but Michaela insisted, saying she was looking pale and unwell.

Angelina walked slowly over to the saloon where several of the men were already working hard. She took the locked metal box with her, covered by a cloth and resting in the bottom of a basket. It hadn't left her sight for even a minute since the fire.

To Angelina's surprise, the upstairs floor of the saloon had already been repaired and Kathy and Jane were hard at work scrubbing everything in sight to get rid of the dirt and smell of the smoke. The men were fitting new planks of wood in the kitchen to replace the burnt floorboards.

"You'll soon be able to sleep in your bedroom again," Kathy said. "We washed everything, but it still smells a little smoky. The windows are open, it should be alright by tomorrow."

"Thank you," Angelina said.

She wandered out again, thinking about the last time she had been in that room, lying in Hank's arms; making love with him. She turned away and began to walk quickly to the mercantile store. Loren was alone when she went in.

"Good morning, Mr Bray," she said. "May I look at the catalogues, please?"

"Of course, Angelina." He placed the heavy books on top of the counter and she began to flick through the pages.

"If I order something, how long will it take?" she asked.

"Well, not long, no more than two weeks I'd say," Loren said.

"I'd like this, please," she told him, pointing to the nightgown. "Private, like." She smiled wanly.

"Well, sure." He pulled out a notebook and began to write. "Glad to see you're feeling better. How's Hank getting along?"

"He's...uh...I don't know. He still hasn't woken up," Angelina said tearfully.

"He'll be alright," Loren said. "Hank's the toughest man I know; a real fighter."

"I know."

"There." Loren closed the notebook. "You'll have to pay a deposit. It'll be two dollars."

"Oh." Angelina's heart sank. "Well, I haven't any money. I'll have to leave it." It was all too much and her tears spilled over. "Sorry, Mr Bray," she choked.

"There, there, don't take on," Loren said, patting her hand awkwardly. He stepped back for a moment, then took a paper bag from the counter and began to fill it with peaches from the basket nearby.

"Why don't you take these?" he went on, putting the bag into her hands. "Make me one of those peach cobbler things when you've a mind to and we'll call that your deposit."

Angelina was stunned. Loren Bray wasn't known for his generosity.

"Oh! Thank you, Loren," she said, wiping away tears with the end of Myra's shawl which she wore around her shoulders. "Thank you."

He nodded sadly and she turned away, wondering if he was thinking the same thing she was. That she hoped Hank would live so he could appreciate her purchase.

When Angelina arrived back at the clinic, she heard the most welcome sound as she opened the door.

"Someone get me a damn cigar!" roared Hank before dissolving into a violent fit of coughing. Jake and Sully were pinning him to the bed and he wrenched one arm free, his fist landing none too gently in the middle of Sully's stomach. Sully bent over, winded and grabbed at him again.

"Calm down, man!" Jake cried.

"You can't seriously think about smoking," Michaela said. "Have you any idea of the damage caused to your lungs by the smoke from that fire? A cigar will only make things worse. It'll take several weeks for you to recover properly as it is."

"Interferin' woman!" Hank choked.

"Hank!" Angelina cried, rushing to the side of the bed. "Let him go!" she ordered the two men.

Sully and Jake reluctantly released Hank's arms and stepped back as he sat up quickly.

"Angel!"

She flung her arms around his neck. "Thank the Lord," she wept into his hair. "You're alright."

Jake and Sully turned away and eventually left the clinic. Michaela disappeared into the examination room and left Hank and Angelina alone for a little while.

"Can you get me some cigars?" Hank asked at once.

"No, I can't. You heard what Michaela said."

"She don't know what she's talking about," grumbled Hank.

"She's the doctor!" Angelina exclaimed. "You could have died if it wasn't for her. And you still might if you smoke."

"Women, you're all as bad as each other." Hank stopped talking and began to cough and choke again. Angelina passed him a glass of water and then leaned back against the wall and folded her arms.

"Alright, don't look like that," Hank gasped. "I won't smoke." His back was turned to the door leading into the other room and he didn't notice Michaela appear briefly and smile at Angelina.

"Can I at least have some clothes?"

"You'll have to wear these for now," Michaela said, appearing with some folded garments.

"What happened to my things?" asked Hank. "They get burnt?"

"No, the fire wasn't too bad," Angelina told him. "The floor in your room fell through, but as far as I know the only thing that fell through was your bed. I'll go over later and collect your clothes and get them washed; they'll be full of smoke."

"So whose are these?" asked Hank, looking dubiously at the clothes Michaela had placed on the bed.

"Sully's."

Hank cursed under his breath, but he began to put on the shirt. "I can't wait to get out of here."

"Well, there's no reason why you shouldn't," said Michaela. "I'm sure Angelina will make sure you don't get into any trouble."

Angelina smiled at her. "I better go and find somewhere to stay until the repairs are finished," she said.

"What repairs?" asked Hank.

"Jake organised a bunch of people; Robert E and Charlie Bains and a few others. They're repairing the kitchen and building new floors upstairs. It'll only be a few days and we can go back."

"Lucky it wasn't all destroyed," Hank said. "Do you know how it started?"

"It's pretty certain Marjorie came back and set fire to the kitchen," Angelina told him.

He swore loudly and jumped up, but quickly began coughing again and sat back down.

"Jake already threatened to kill her," said Angelina. "She's long gone."

"She was always trouble," Hank grunted. "Anything else? Did anyone get hurt?"

Angelina glanced across at Michaela and she shrugged slightly.

"Bella," said Angelina.

"Where is she?" Hank asked at once. "Is she here?"

"She….uh….she didn't make it," she said, her eyes filling with tears again. "It was the smoke."

"Aww, no." Hank dropped his head into his hands. She stepped closer and slid her arms around him. He hugged her tight and she clung to him and wept. It seemed she had done nothing but cry on and off since the fire and she was racked with guilt that although she was sorry for Bella, all she could think about was that she was glad it wasn't Hank.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

A little while later Angelina and Hank were discussing where they could stay until the saloon was ready for them to move back to. Michaela suggested they could stay at the homestead with her and the children, but it was quite obvious she hoped Hank would say no. It was at that moment that Myra walked in.

"Oh, Hank, you're better!" she cried.

"Not quite," he muttered. "I'd be better with a drink and a cigar."

"Well, there's obviously a big improvement if you're complaining. So where are you two gonna stay while they repair the saloon?" she asked. "Me and Horace have room if you're stuck."

"Really?" said Angelina. "Are you sure it wouldn't be too much trouble?"

"Of course it ain't, or she wouldn't have offered," said Hank. "Come on, let's go."

"I see your manners haven't improved any," Myra said mildly, heading back out of the door. "You'll have to sleep on the couch, Hank, it's only a little house."

He just grunted in response. Angelina picked up the basket containing the metal box and the bag of peaches, tucked her hand through his arm and they walked up the street to Horace and Myra's house. Horace was at the post office working and somehow Angelina doubted he would be too happy when he returned home and discovered he had house guests. Myra had once told her that Hank had beaten him almost unconscious after Myra had thought she was pregnant and Horace said he was responsible in order to divert Hank's anger away from her.

Angelina made use of Myra's stove and cooked up a peach cobbler for Loren, then dropped it over at his store a little while later. He was delighted and told her he had ordered 'the item' and that if she were struggling with the saloon out of action, she could just pay the balance when she was able, regardless of when it actually arrived.

"Thank you, Loren," she said. "I have good news. Hank's going to be alright. He woke up and Dr Mike says he should be fine in a few weeks as long as he doesn't smoke."

Loren chuckled. "I don't envy you trying to keep him away from the baccy."

After leaving the store Angelina went to the saloon. Robert E and Charlie were upstairs finishing smoothing the floor in Hank's room and she went up to collect his clothes and her own so that she could take them back to Myra's and wash them. There was such a vast amount that Kathy and Jane helped her carry them back to the house. Myra and Angelina spent hours washing and scrubbing and hanging the things out on the washing line behind the house. Then they boiled more water to fill the bath tub for Hank, who was complaining that his hair was dirty and full of smoke. Angelina washed his hair for him and then left him soaking in the tub and set off downstairs to the kitchen to see if she could do anything to help Myra, given that she was having to put up with them. Angelina paused in the hallway, realising Horace had arrived home and was in the kitchen talking to Myra.

"I don't feel comfortable about Hank staying here," he was saying.

"Don't be silly, Horace, where else is he gonna go?" Myra sighed.

"Myra, I seem to remember him giving me a beating not all that long ago. He's got the worst temper and it's not helping that the doc told him not to smoke. He'll be even more grumpy than usual."

"Don't worry about him, Horace, Angelina will keep him under control."

"How's she gonna do that, Myra? She's hardly bigger than you!" Horace exclaimed.

"Have you seen the way he looks at her? He'd do anything that girl asks of him."

"Hank won't do nothing for no one, never mind how he looks at them," said Horace.

"It's only going to be a few days. Angelina's been good to me when I've felt rough. And he was good to me once, in his own way."

"Well, alright," Horace agreed eventually.

Angelina smiled to herself and waited another moment before she went into the kitchen.

"Hello, Horace," she said. "I want to thank you for letting us stay here while the saloon's repaired; it's so kind of you."

"Well, that's alright, I'm glad to help," he beamed.

Myra raised her eyebrows and grinned. Angelina went out into the yard and discovered that some items of clothing were already dry in the warm sun, including one of her own dresses. She changed in the guest room and then took Hank some fresh clothes. She took the basket containing the metal box with her and hovered, looking out of the window and keeping her back to him while he got out of the tub and dressed. She wasn't quite bold enough to look at him naked in broad daylight.

"Horace must be real happy to have me staying," he said when she turned around.

"He's alright." She pulled the metal box out of the basket and held it out to him. "You asked me to take care of this."

Hank's face lit up. "I hadn't even thought about this since I woke."

"It must be something important," said Angelina, trying not to let on how curious she was.

Hank grinned. "Wanna see?"

She nodded. He sat down on the floor cross-legged and put the box on the floor in front of him.

"Give me on of your hair pins."

Puzzled, she pulled a pin free and passed it to him, then kneeled down beside him.

"The key was hidden in my room," he explained. "Didn't have time to get it." He bent the pin a little and stuck it into the lock. After a few minutes jiggling the pin around the lock clicked and the box was open. Angelina's mouth fell open. Inside were several rolls of bills and just from a quick glance, it was obvious they weren't just dollar bills, but assorted denominations.

"How much is there?" she gasped.

Hank shrugged. "Dunno, it's a while since I checked. Been saving it since me and Jake opened the saloon." He pushed the box towards her. "Why don't you count it?" he asked with a grin.

It took a long time. Angelina unclipped each roll and sorted the notes into ones, fives, tens and twenties and then began counting with increasing disbelief. Hank watched, looking amused, as she added up the piles of money.

"Hank, there's over two thousand dollars here," she said. "What on earth are you going to do with it?"

He grinned wider. "Ain't decided yet. Never really had a reason to spend any of it before." He took her hand in his and squeezed it. "Never had no one I wanted to spend it on either. Always thought I'd live in the saloon and take whatever I wanted when it suited me. I was thinking I could build a house." He licked his lips, almost as if he were nervous. "A house for us. If you want me."

Angelina was stunned and her heart seemed to miss a couple of beats before it began to hammer double time.

"Of course I want you, Hank, I love you," she said. She realised she didn't even have to think about it.

He smiled down at her. "Even though I'm rough and bad tempered and likely to be six feet under years before you're ready to go?" he said.

"Even then."

"I love you, Angel," he said, pulling her into his arms. He kissed her briefly, but soon began to cough again and turned away.

Angelina began to roll up the money again and stack it neatly into the box. Hank took a few small bills and put them into his pocket, then fiddled around with the hairpin until the lock clicked back into place, securing it. They hid it underneath the bed in the guest room and then Hank went downstairs while Angelina began emptying the bathtub. Myra was cooking supper and some time later they all ate at the kitchen table. Angelina sat opposite Hank and found herself staring into his eyes throughout most of the meal. She was only slightly aware that Horace was eyeing Hank with some trepidation and Myra was grinning from ear to ear as if the couple's feelings were written all over their faces.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

When it eventually came time to retire, Hank threw himself onto the couch with a resigned look on his face, much to everyone's surprise and the rest of them went upstairs. Angelina waited an hour until she could hear gentle snoring coming from Horace and Myra's room and then she tiptoed downstairs again into the parlour.

"Whaddya want?" Hank grunted and then coughed.

"It's me," she said softly, slipping under the blanket draped over him and snuggling into his arms. It was a tight squeeze on the narrow couch, but they could just fit on it together if they pressed tight to each other. Hank stroked his hand over her hair and kissed her softly.

"I was tempted to come up," he said with a grin. "But I thought Horace would probably shoot me."

Angelina giggled.

"Hope they hurry up fixing the saloon," he added.

"Me too." She couldn't wait to spend another night with him like the one before the fire; and hopefully by then she would have her new nightdress.

Angelina rose early in the morning and crept back upstairs before Horace and Myra emerged. She washed and dressed, then descended again and began to cook breakfast for everyone. Hank appeared within minutes, smelling the bacon.

"Got any coffee?"

Angelina poured him a mug and dumped sugar into it.

"I'd give anything to have a smoke with this," he groaned.

"Too bad," she said firmly, flipping the bacon. "If you're going to die years before me anyway, I don't want you shortening the time you've got left by smoking."

"Damned cheek," grumbled Hank, but he began to grin.

Angelina cracked some eggs into the skillet. "You know, I feel guilty about us staying here and eating all their food too," she said.

"Why don't you buy some things from Grace's for supper, then?" suggested Hank, pulling some money out of his pocket. "Here, take this."

Angelina went to Grace's café that morning and bought some of her meatloaf and apple pie for everyone for supper. When she left, she passed Robert E's smithy where Sully was working outside measuring pieces of wood. She went over to him.

"Morning, Angelina," he said. "How's Hank?"

"Better in health than temper," she said with a smile.

"Don't know how you put up with him," Sully grunted.

"He's sweet to me."

"Huh," responded Sully.

"What are you making?" Angelina asked him.

"New bed for Hank," Sully said with a wry grin. "Michaela insisted. His old one was damaged when it fell through the ceiling."

She giggled. "Don't worry, you'll get paid for it."

"I don't much care about the money, I just got things of my own to do." Sully marked off a piece of wood with a pencil and picked up his saw.

"What part is that?" she asked.

"Headboard."

Angelina stepped forward and plucked the pencil from behind his ear where he had stuck it, considered the piece of wood and then made another mark about a foot further along from Sully's.

"You should make it a little wider," she said.

"What for?" Sully frowned.

"Uh….well….Hank's a big man," she said solemnly.

Sully stared at her, then his eyebrows rose slightly and much to her amusement, he coloured up. She left him to it, holding back her laughter until she reached Myra's house.

"What's tickled you?" she asked as Angelina stood giggling in the kitchen.

"Where's Hank?" Angelina said before answering.

"In the outhouse."

"I'm afraid I embarrassed poor Sully," said Angelina and proceeded to tell Myra about the bed.

"He's probably just jealous. Michaela's making him wait until they're married," laughed Myra. "So you're going to sleep with him, then?"

"Who, Sully?"

"Hank, you fool!"

"Already did," said Angelina, turning away to unpack the basket of Grace's food.

"When did this happen?" Myra cried, grabbing her arm and turning her around.

"Right before the fire."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Well, how was it? Did you like it?"

"Oh, Myra, I can't tell you details," she protested.

"Of course you can. Living with Kathy and Jane all this time, I thought you would have learned not to be shy about it by now."

"Well, I suppose I have really. And yes, I liked it."

"Really? You're lucky, my first time was horrible," said Myra. "The man was rough and only concerned about having his own pleasure."

"Well, I got plenty of enjoyment first before he had his," Angelina said softly.

"_Really_?" Myra repeated, sounding disbelieving.

Angelina just nodded. She knew Myra had been with Hank herself, when she first began working at the saloon. Kathy and Jane had too, although they had never said anything about it to Angelina. It had never bothered her though. Hank had after all told her he wanted to try out the merchandise within a couple of hours of her arriving at the Gold Nugget, so she had known what he was like. She just knew he wasn't like that any more; he was all hers.

It was four more days before Hank and Angelina were able to return to the Gold Nugget, at least to live. Hank was ranting about the loss of money long before this, despite his surprising riches, and insisted on opening up the bar at least and getting the girls working again. A new stove had to be ordered through Loren for the kitchen, so in the meantime Angelina collected food from Grace every day for their supper.

With something to keep him busy again, Hank stopped complaining about not being able to smoke, although he did complain about the fact that Michaela insisted he call in at the clinic every morning so she could listen to his chest, which she advised appeared to be improving rapidly.

"You're going to be fine," she said. "Just don't do anything too strenuous for another week."

"Does that mean no women?" Hank said with a grin.

Michaela glared at him, flushing and Angelina couldn't help a quiet snigger. Michaela looked at her curiously but didn't say anything, either then or the next day when the two women saw each other alone.

Finally the repairs were complete and everything was clean and devoid of smoke. Hank's new bed had been put together in his room by Sully and Jake, and Kathy and Jane had made a new straw-tick mattress for it. Angelina's own bed had survived, but they had made a new mattress and covers for that also.

Angelina was sure Myra and Horace were glad to see the back of her and Hank when they left – certainly Horace was. Hank managed to remain mostly calm throughout the stay except for his usual sneering remarks every so often, but Horace was still intimidated and unhappy about sharing his house with the man.

That morning they moved their last few things back to the saloon, including the box of money which Hank hid between the base of his bed and the mattress, showing Angelina its location just in case anything happened to him. The key hadn't been found, but he said he would have Robert E make a new one the next time he wanted to get into it.

Afterwards Angelina went down to Loren's store to spend the few dollars worth of tips she had managed to save since the Gold Nugget re-opened and an additional ten that Hank gave her. She was still short of clothes and decided to buy a few things from the small selection usually available in the store.

Angelina picked out two blouses, a skirt and a fresh set of underwear and placed them on the counter. Loren added up the cost, which came to fourteen dollars and she handed over the entire contents of her purse.

"I have something else for you," Loren said then, producing a small package wrapped in brown paper from beneath the counter. "Your special item."

"It's been so quick!" Angelina exclaimed, delighted. "Oh dear, and I just spent all my money!"

"That's alright, Angelina, you take it and pay me when you can," Loren said, placing the package on top of the other items.

"Oh, thank you Loren," she beamed.

She put the things into her basket with the paper-wrapped parcel on top and returned to the saloon. It wasn't yet noon, but Hank and the girls were in the bar area awaiting the first customers. Hank sprang over the counter into Angelina's path and grabbed her to give her a kiss.

"Should you be leaping around like that?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he said. "Never better. What's in the package?" He put his hand out towards the basket and she swapped it to the other side of her out of his reach.

"Mind your own business."

"Aww, come on, let me see." He grabbed her around the waist and swung her off her feet. Kathy and Jane giggled.

"Put me down," Angelina protested. "It's just something for me to wear; nothing that will interest you."

"It'll interest me if I can take it off."

"Stop it," she protested, pushing him away, her face warm. "I might show you later if it's that important to you."

Hank grinned and kissed her cheek. She finally escaped through the door into the corridor and ran upstairs to change into her green dress ready for work. She was going to have to get a couple of new ones since the striped one had been ruined.

Angelina couldn't resist opening the brown paper for a quick peek at the nightdress inside. She stroked the soft fabric longingly and then hid it under her pillow before she went down to the bar, realising it was going to be a very long day.

The hours crawled by. Angelina was relieved that the bar was busy and she was constantly running around gathering up empty glasses, serving drinks and wiping tables. Then she went out to Grace's café to fetch supper for Hank, herself and the girls. Grace had packed up stew and cherry pie and Angelina carried the basket back to the Gold Nugget, hoping that the new stove would be quick to arrive. Grace was a wonderful cook, but Angelina missed cooking Hank's meals herself.

After supper Angelina cleaned and tidied the kitchen and went back into the saloon for the rest of the evening. The hands on the clock above the bar inched around towards midnight and she noticed with amusement that Hank was looking at it just as often as she was. When at last it was twelve o'clock, Hank evicted the last four or five drinkers into the street as quickly as he could manage, locked up and followed Angelina up the stairs.

Angelina stopped outside her door, but Hank grasped her hand and drew her along the landing to his own room.

"I hope Sully made that bed strong," he grinned.

She pulled her hand free of his at the door. "Wait," she began.

Hank looked down at her, his face falling. "What's the matter? You don't want to?"

"Of course I want to." She reached up and brushed her lips against his. "But I want to freshen up. I'll be ten minutes." She turned away from him and hurried back to her room, eager to try on her new purchase.

She undressed quickly, washed and then slipped into the beautiful satin nightgown. It slithered over her skin as she moved and she stood as far back from the mirror as she could, admiring the top half of herself from all angles. She pulled her hair loose from its pins, brushed it until it shone like the satin gown and then blew out the lamp and opened her door quietly, her heart pounding with excitement. She hardly even felt nervous now, just excited to be in Hank's arms.

Angelina pulled her door closed and glided along the landing to Hank's room. His door was open a couple of inches and the glow from a lamp shone out through the gap. She pushed the door wider, stepped through and shut it behind her. Hank was sitting on his bed, leaning back against the headboard Sully had carved, apparently naked and covered to the waist by his quilt. He looked Angelina up and down, his eyes wide.

"Is that what was in that package?" he asked. "Nothing that will interest me? Get over here!"


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

After that Angelina spent every night with Hank, using her own room only as a dressing room. There seemed no point keeping up a pretence of having separate rooms; they didn't want to spend a minute apart that they didn't have to and the girls knew about it. Angelina was the happiest she had ever been and Hank treated her as if she was the greatest prize he could have won. More than once Angelina heard Jake and Loren teasing him about going soft, but he just laughed it off.

It was about a month later that Hank announced he was making a trip to Denver on the stagecoach. Angelina was disappointed because it was only a week before her nineteenth birthday and although she hadn't told anyone except Myra about it, she would have liked to spend the day with Hank and she knew that he was now likely to miss it. He said only that the trip was for business and she didn't ask him any details, but after she saw him off on Monday morning, she immediately began to feel lonely and miserable and wondered what she was going to do with herself until he came back. She wasn't to work in the saloon and would be staying the nights with Myra and Horace. The only thing she had to do was to cook supper at the saloon every day for the girls and Jake. However, she did go in the mornings too and make breakfast for Kathy and Jane, just for something to do and to catch up on the gossip.

Each afternoon Angelina spent with Myra, who on Wednesday took her to the local sewing group run by Emily, a young widow whose husband had died during an influenza epidemic the previous year. Michaela went to this too and spending a few hours stitching quilt squares with the other women helped Angelina get to know those that so far she only knew by sight.

Angelina wasn't expecting Hank to return until the following Monday and had resigned herself to spending her birthday going to church with Myra and Horace and the evening cooking supper at the saloon as usual. On Saturday morning she decided to go to Loren's store to buy some vegetables and other supplies and perhaps treat herself to a new book. The street was busy with people awaiting the arrival of the weekend stagecoach, bringing items they had ordered and she stood on the porch of the mercantile to watch the usual excited scramble of people trying to see if there was a package for them. Michaela's little boy, Brian, standing nearby, was knocked off his feet by a man who didn't even notice him. Angelina hurried forward to help him up and brush dust off his jacket.

"Are you alright, Brian?" she asked.

"Yes, thanks, Miss Angelina! Are you expecting a parcel?" he said.

"No, not today." She looked up again as the stagecoach door swung open and then out stepped Hank. He was wearing a smart new suit with a long coat, a red scarf and black hat. Her heart skipped a couple of beats and as he turned around, she ran forward and threw herself into his arms, unconcerned by the crowd of townsfolk, many of whom turned to stare now.

"Oh, Hank, I wasn't expecting you for another two days!" she cried. "I missed you."

"Missed you too," he said, giving her a kiss. "Didn't want to miss your birthday tomorrow though."

"How did you know?" she gasped.

"Ain't you got to know how much this town gossips yet?" he grinned, letting go of her. "Wait there a minute, I got a parcel."

Angelina stepped back, beaming from ear to ear while he retrieved his package from the roof of the coach. Then they headed back to the saloon, Angelina's shopping forgotten.

Hank shoved the mysterious parcel carelessly under the bed and then changed out of his suit into some of his regular clothes. Angelina didn't even think to ask about the parcel after that; the excitement of Hank's early return made her forget about it.

That afternoon she fetched her things back from Myra's and worked in the saloon for a few hours. Since she had abandoned her plan to go shopping when the stagecoach arrived, she went to Grace's café and bought pot roast and apple cobbler for supper.

With Hank back the evening seemed to fly by and as soon as the last customer had left, Hank locked the doors and hurried Angelina up the stairs to bed, falling on her like a starving man even before the bedroom door closed.

"I missed you so much," he groaned as they fell onto the bed, still half dressed. For the first time he was rough, pinning her to the bed, ramming himself into her, but she was just as eager, dragging at his clothes and digging her nails hard into his back, pulling her knees up and responding to each thrust with one of her own until they collapsed, panting and sweating in a heap. It was some time before they disentangled themselves, removed the rest of their clothes and got under the quilt to go to sleep.

When Angelina opened her eyes the next morning she was alone. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes and combing out her tangled hair with her fingers. Hank must have gone to the outhouse, she thought. However, a moment later the door opened and he came in carrying two mugs of coffee, amusingly dressed in his underwear and boots. He kicked the boots off and passed Angelina one of the mugs, placing his own on the chest next to the bed. Then he bent down and pulled out the parcel from underneath, putting it on the foot of the bed and sitting down next to her.

"Happy birthday," he said, grinning.

Surprised and excited, Angelina opened the box and unfolded the tissue paper which covered the contents. Inside was a beautiful dress of rich, deep moss green fabric, a smart and demure style which at the same time was modern and attractive. She lifted it out of the box and spread it out on the bed.

"Oh, Hank, I love it!" she cried. "Thank you. This is my favourite colour too."

"Matches your eyes," said Hank. "I like you in that other green frock."

Angelina carefully folded the dress back into the box and placed it on the floor before she leaned over to kiss Hank, guessing that it wouldn't stop at just a kiss and her new dress would end up crumpled.

It was still early and Angelina eventually got up and went into her old room to wash and dress, then went down to the kitchen to cook some breakfast. Hank was some long while before he appeared and then he came in wearing his new suit with a crisp white shirt underneath and a blue necktie. Angelina stared at him in surprise.

"I love that suit, you look very handsome," she said.

"Thanks. I was thinking I might shave too," he said, sitting down at the table.

"Don't do that." She went to him and touched his face. "I like your beard."

He grinned and pulled her down for a kiss. She drew away reluctantly after a minute to bring the food to the table.

"So where are you going all dressed up?" she asked him.

"Church."

"_Church_?" she repeated.

"Yeah, I go to church."

"When?"

"Uh….well, I've been before," he said sheepishly. "You can wear your new dress."

Angelina beamed. She was dying to wear it and church would be a perfect place for half the town to see her. She silently chastised herself for her pride and sat down to eat her breakfast.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The dress was a perfect fit. The fabric was good quality and felt soft against Angelina's skin, the colour accentuated the shade of her eyes and she twisted and turned in front of the mirror for several minutes. Who would have thought Hank would buy such a gift for her? She couldn't wipe the happy smile off her face as she carefully pinned up her hair in a thick coil at the back of her neck and put on her nicest black boots with the little heels.

When she went downstairs, Kathy and Jane greeted her in the hallway, cooing over the new dress.

"We were dying to see what he chose," Kathy said.

"You knew about this?" she asked.

Jane nodded. "We told him what size to get."

Angelina gave her a push, laughing. "You must have all been sneaking around whispering behind my back and I never noticed a thing."

"There's more. We ordered this from Loren," Jane said, handing her a small package wrapped in tissue paper. "We got it between us. Happy birthday, Angelina."

Their gift was a pair of gloves of the finest, softest black leather with little button fastenings at the wrists to hold them snugly in place. Angelina put them on immediately and they complimented her outfit.

"Are you going out?" Kathy asked then.

"Church," said Angelina.

"But Hank's all dressed up an' all."

"He's coming too," she said with a smile.

"To _church_? He didn't tell us that!" Jane put her hands over her mouth to smother her giggles. Kathy elbowed her. Angelina left them to it and went to join Hank.

When they walked up to the little church, her hand tucked through his arm, there were surprised stares and whispers from everyone. Hank just grinned at everyone and when he shook hands with Loren and said good morning, Loren was rendered speechless, his mouth hanging open. The only person who didn't appear in the least taken aback was the Reverend Johnson.

"Good morning, Hank, good to see you," he said, nodding. "Hello, Angelina." It almost seemed as if he expected them.

They sat in the front pew with Loren and Dorothy and Angelina noticed Loren glancing repeatedly at Hank as if he couldn't believe the man was sitting next to him. After the service they walked outside and Micheala, Sully and the children came over to speak to them and wished Angelina many happy returns. Then Grace and Robert E came to speak to her too. Hank excused himself and went over to the Reverend.

"What on earth is he upto?" Michaela said, her brow wrinkling.

Grace smirked and Angelina looked at her suspiciously.

"What you grinnin' at, woman?" Robert E asked Grace.

"Nothing at all. Come along, people will be wanting their dinner soon. Good day, all." She thrust her hand through Robert E's arm and began to stride off towards the café.

Angelina looked over her shoulder at Hank who was shaking hands with the Reverend. When they parted, Hank walked over to the Reverend's horse and buggy which waited at the side of the church, climbed in and drove it towards her. Halting the horse, he jumped down.

"Thought we'd go for a little drive," he said, taking her hand to help her into the buggy. "The Reverend was good enough to lend this to me for a few hours."

"Goodness," Angelina heard a couple of people mutter.

By the time Hank climbed back up onto the buggy seat beside Angelina, picking up the reins, she was unable to keep the broad smile off her face. Hank flicked the reins and the horse began to trot smartly away from the church towards town.

"How did you get the Reverend to lend you this buggy?" Angelina asked him.

"Just promised I'd show up once in a while," he grinned.

They drove down the main street of the town which was fairly deserted, most of the residents only just leaving church. At the end they turned away from the buildings and out into the open. Hank controlled the horse with one hand, wrapping the other arm around Angelina and holding her tight to him. They travelled around in a loop, almost reaching the foot of the hills surrounding Pike's Peak at the furthest point, then on the approach to the town from the west side Hank pulled the horse to a halt perhaps a half mile from the first buildings and close to a stream. He jumped out of the buggy and then lifted Angelina down. Then he went around the back of the vehicle and took out a blanket, spreading it out on the grass.

Angelina sat down, gazing about her at the rich green of the grass, the cluster of great oak trees and the stream tinkling along beneath them. Hank took a picnic basket from the back of the buggy and placed it on the rug, then sat down beside her.

"What do you think of this spot?" he asked.

"Oh, it's beautiful," she said.

"Nice place to live, you think?"

"Oh, yes!"

"Good, 'cause I bought it!" he exclaimed. "From the edge of the trees there, along the stream to that path and then a quarter mile over that way to the fence that borders Dick Lutter's place. Gonna build our house right over there so it's sheltered by the trees." He pointed to a spot to the left.

"Oh, Hank! It'll be wonderful!" She could already picture a house, slightly shaded by the trees, the stream trickling by the porch, Hank's horse grazing on the rich green grass.

He slid his arm around her and pulled her closer to his side. "I got a bunch of guys coming in from Denver next week to do most of the work," he continued. "It's going to have a big kitchen, parlour and a porch all around, upstairs for the bedrooms. Indoor plumbing too. First house in Colorado Springs to have indoor plumbing."

"This is the best birthday I've ever had," said Angelina. She actually couldn't think of suitable words to express how she felt, which was fairly over-whelmed at that point.

"I ain't done yet," Hank said.

"There's more?" she gasped.

"Uh….yeah….when I can figure out the right way to put it." Hank smiled a little apologetically and if she didn't know better, she would have said he looked shy. "The way things are at the saloon, there's always gonna be gossip about you; don't matter what we say, people think you're one of my girls."

"I know, but I never cared what people think," said Angelina.

"Well, it ain't gonna be that way when we move out to the house," said Hank, pulling a small box out of his pocket with a flourish. "I love you, Angel. Will you marry me?" He flicked the box open with his thumb and her mouth fell open as she stared at the large diamond on a narrow gold band. It wasn't enormous, but was certainly bigger than any she had seen and must have cost a fortune. She tried to speak, but no sound came out of her mouth. While she gaped, Hank took hold of her left hand, removed the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger. It fitted perfectly.

"Oh, it's beautiful, I love it," she said, finding her voice at last. "I love you."

"That a yes, then?" Hank asked, grinning.

"Yes. It's a yes. Yes!" She wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her tightly and they kissed until they were breathless, drawing apart reluctantly only when a couple of horses galloped past, their riders shouting out some teasing comment about things hotting up around here.

With all the excitement, Angelina found she hardly had an appetite for food and nibbled slowly at a piece of Grace's fried chicken, unable to stop herself looking at her engagement ring every few minutes. It eventually occurred to her that Grace's smirking had obviously been from her part in planning the picnic.

When they finished with the food, Angelina packed the remains away into the basket and carried it back to the buggy before she went to sit down again. When she kneeled down beside Hank, he had begun to look uncharacteristically nervous again.

"I got something to tell you," he said. "Been meaning to for a while." He looked down at his hands and swallowed hard.

"It sounds serious," she said.

"Yeah. You mightn't like it too much."

He looked so worried that Angelina slid her hand into his. "Hank, there's only one thing you could say to me that I wouldn't like; that is that you changed your mind about wanting me, and seeing as you just gave me a ring, I hardly think that's likely."

"No." He grinned awkwardly and then paused for another long moment before he spoke again. "I got a son."


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Angelina's eyes widened. Despite all the surprises so far that day, somehow it was the last thing she had expected, next to him telling her he didn't want her after all.

"See, you're upset," he said, looking at her face.

"No, I'm surprised," she said, squeezing his hand. "Tell me about him."

Hank began to talk. His son, Zach, was fourteen years old. He had a talent for drawing and went to an art school in Denver where he'd been attending for two years. Before that he'd been cared for by a lady called Ruby right here in Colorado Springs, until she died.

"Gave him a job in the saloon for a while," Hank said. "But it was no life for him. He's kinda special. People made fun of him. He didn't deserve that."

"What about his mother?" asked Angelina.

"Clarice? She died when he was five years old. She was a whore."

"Did you love her?" she asked.

"I guess." He shrugged slightly. "Yeah, I did. At least as much as I was able to when I was twenty-one years old and spending most of my time fighting with everything and everyone. Her especially. We kinda loved each other, but hated each other at the same time. Wasn't happy families or nothing. I gave her money for him, but they didn't live with me after he was born."

"Did you see Zach while you were in Denver?"

"Yeah. Wanted to see what he thought about me getting married. Wouldn't have made no difference to whether I asked you or not, but I don't want him getting a shock when he visits at Christmas. He likes the idea. Kid thinks I must be lonely."

Angelina laughed. "Not any more."

Hank wrapped his arms tight around her and hugged her. "You ain't bothered, then?"

"Of course not," she said, but something had occurred to her. "But since you have a son, does that mean you won't want other children?"

"Hell, no!" he exclaimed at once. "I want us to be a proper family. I'm building this house with four bedrooms, just in case."

She smiled at him. "I can't wait to have children with you," she said.

When they returned to the town, they drove past Grace's café and dropped off her picnic basket first. Hank helped Angelina down from the buggy and waited there while she went to speak to Grace.

"Enjoy your picnic?" Grace asked, beaming. "Never thought Hank had a romantic bone in his body."

"It was wonderful," Angelina said, handing her the basket.

"Anything else happen on this picnic?" Grace whispered, winking.

"Like what? This?" She held her left hand up in front of Grace's face.

"Oh! Oh, my!" Her eyes widened until Angelina thought they would pop out of her head as she looked at the ring. Grace glanced up at Hank, still sitting in the buggy, grinning in a slightly embarrassed fashion. "Hank Lawson, what's got into you, behaving like a decent human being?"

When Angelina climbed back into the buggy a minute later, Hank was chuckling softly.

"My reputation in this town's ruined now, you realise," he said.

They returned the horse and buggy to the Reverend, who was still at the church.

"I hope to see you _both_ at my service again soon," he said pointedly.

"Yeah, alright, I promised, didn't I?" Hank said. Then he smiled. "I'm gonna be back at least once. We're gonna want you to marry us pretty soon."

"Really? You're getting married? Well!" Reverend Johnson beamed from ear to ear. "This is wonderful news. Congratulations!" He grasped Hank's hand and shook it vigorously. "Have you thought of a date yet?"

Hank shrugged. "Only just asked her." He looked down at Angelina and raised one eyebrow. "Couple of months? The house'll be ready then."

"Yes, absolutely," she said at once.

The Reverend consulted his diary and suggested the first Saturday in September, which was just under three months away. Hank and Angelina nodded and he wrote a note in the diary, then told them that they would be expected to attend a few meetings with him to talk about future plans and preparations for married life.

"You can forget that part," Hank said.

"It's usual for young couples to come to me for advice first," the Reverend said.

"Well, we ain't usual, and I ain't young," said Hank. "I ain't coming and listening to you telling me to quit drinking and gambling and keeping girls. We won't be needing no marital advice neither, if you get my meaning."

He winked at the Reverend who was flushing uncomfortably now. Angelina would have reddened herself if she hadn't been so used to Hank by now that nothing much he said could embarrass her. She only felt sorry for the poor clergyman, who cleared his throat and stared hard at his diary as if he thought it would offer some assistance in how to reply. She saved him by excusing them, shoving her hand through Hank's arm and hurrying him away.

"You're awful," she said. "The poor man wanted the ground to open up and swallow him."

Hank laughed loudly. "He mightn't get so worked up if he'd take that white collar off for an hour and have a visit with one of the girls."

The engagement was the talk of the town for the next week and Hank was teased mercilessly by Loren and Jake and some of the others, none of whom had had a clue what he'd been planning. Meanwhile, Kathy and Jane, Myra, Michaela, Dorothy and many others expressed their delight and surprise and wanted all the details about the picnic and the proposal and the plans for the house. Angelina asked Myra to be her maid of honour and she was thrilled, telling her that Angelina must visit Emily to organise her wedding dress.

Meanwhile a team of men arrived from Denver to begin work on the house. Hank did some of it himself and for a month Angelina barely saw him except during the evenings at the saloon and at night in bed, when at least half the time he was so exhausted he would be asleep the minute he lay down.

Hank didn't want Angelina to see the house until he thought it was suitably progressed to show her, so she didn't leave the town until one Sunday when she returned from church, having attended with Myra and Horace, to find Hank coming to meet her on his horse. He had returned from working on the house and cleaned himself up at the saloon first. The workmen had been given the rest of the day off as Hank wanted her to see how things were coming along.

Hank lifted Angelina up onto Hurricane's saddle in front of him and they rode slowly out of town.

"You know how to ride a horse?" Hank asked suddenly. "Never thought to ask you before."

"Yes, I can ride," Angelina said. "My father gave me a pony for my tenth birthday. Then a larger one when I was fifteen. I loved riding."

"I'll get you a horse then," Hank said. "There'll be a corral and a barn behind the house. The company'll keep Hurricane quiet when I ain't riding him."

As they drew nearer to the house, Angelina could see that the bottom half appeared complete and the upper walls were half built. There was a wide porch all around the outside which would be covered by overhanging eaves when the roof was on, so that you could sit outside even when it rained.

"It looks wonderful," she said as they halted outside the gap where the front door would be.

Hank helped her down from the horse and then dismounted, tying Hurricane to the rail around the porch before he grasped her hand and led her inside. On the groundfloor was a large parlour with a doorway leading through into the kitchen. Each room had big windows, although the glass wasn't yet in the frames and the floors were smooth interlocking wood strips. There was already a stove installed in the kitchen and a fireplace in the parlour. A wooden staircase led up from one corner of this room and when they climbed up, the partially built walls upstairs indicated a long landing with one large bedroom and three smaller ones, a bathroom at one end and a smaller room which would be the closet.

"I love it," said Angelina. "I can't wait to move in here with you."

They returned downstairs and Hank fetched in a blanket which was strapped to the back of Hurricane's saddle, spreading it out in a corner of the parlour so they could sit down for a while. He slid his arm around Angelina and when she looked up at him, he lowered his head and began to kiss her. It was about a week since they had been together, with him exhausted from the hard work, but things heated up rapidly now until they were lying on the rug, devouring each other and unfastening each other's clothes.

Hank pulled away for a moment and sat up, sticking his hands into his trouser pockets and then the ones in his coat which lay on the ground.

"Damn, I ain't got a rubber with me!" he exclaimed.

"Does it really matter that much any more?" Angelina asked softly. "We're going to be married in less than two months."

"Don't matter to me!" Hank grinned wickedly. "I hate those things anyhow."

He began to pull off the rest of his clothes, scattering them in all directions. Angelina followed suit although she folded hers neatly. She didn't even feel shy anymore, despite it being broad daylight. It seemed such a short time ago that she wondered if she would ever be able to say or do anything without blushing.

They fell into each other's arms on the rug and it didn't take very long for Angelina to realise that making love was ten times more pleasurable without a rubber sheath separating them. When it was over and Hank made to pull away from her, she tightened both arms and legs around him.

"You stay where you are," she panted.

"That good?" he grinned.

"Oh, yes."

After that day they didn't bother with protection again. Angelina knew she hadn't conceived that first time because her monthly started a few days later, but if she had done it wouldn't have worried her. In just a few weeks she would be Mrs Hank Lawson and if it so happened that she became a mother a little less than nine months later, nobody would care or even notice.


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The house was finished three weeks later. Once the building and plumbing work was finished and the barn and corral constructed, it was only a matter of fitting doors and windows, a mantelpiece, kitchen cupboards and other things. Hank did this himself with the help of Sully, Robert E and a couple of others and then at last Angelina and Hank were able to move in. Robert E loaned a wagon and horses and he, Jake and Sully helped moving Hank's bed and their clothes and other belongings from the saloon.

Angelina kept out of the way while the men took the things to the new house, along with various other items of furniture which had arrived at Loren's store; things that Hank and Angelina had ordered from the catalogue, mainly for the parlour and the kitchen – a table and chairs, pots and pan, crockery and cutlery, a couch and comfortable chairs and various rugs, curtains and bedding.

Angelina sat in a chair on the saloon porch, watching and smothering a giggle every so often as Hank ordered everyone around, shouting and cursing until Sully and Robert E threatened to leave him to it if he didn't shut up and help load the wagon. When they eventually set off for the house, Michaela walked over to talk to Angelina. She looked slightly disapproving as she usually did when she had anything to say about Hank and Angelina almost guessed what she would say before she opened her mouth.

"Do you really think you ought to be moving out there alone with him before you're married?" Michaela asked.

"We've both been living at the saloon," pointed out Angelina.

"That's different."

"Are you worried about my reputation or my virtue?" Angelina replied with a smile.

"Both! You know what people are like."

"Well, to my mind, most of them probably think I haven't much of the former since I've been living at the saloon and the latter is certainly long gone."

"Angelina!" Michaela exclaimed. "But when I examined you….."

"That was a long time ago," Angelina reminded her, surprised she hadn't cottoned on before now. "I've been sleeping with him since the night before the fire."

"Well!" Michaela coloured up. "I thought that with your background….."

"Michaela, it doesn't matter where I came from," she interrupted. "I'm not the same person any more. I love Hank. Neither background nor anything else comes into it."

"But aren't you worried about becoming pregnant before you're married?" Michaela sighed.

"Michaela, you're a doctor," Angelina reminded her. "You should know better than anyone that there are things you can do to avoid that." Not that they were bothering about that any more, she thought.

Michaela blushed more deeply and it amused Angelina that she could talk about these things so openly now, when only a short time ago she would have been mortified by the very thought of making love. She couldn't resist teasing a little and thought even as she opened her mouth that a little of Hank's outspokenness was rubbing off on her, probably not to her credit.

"You and Sully have been together a long time," she said. "You must have got….close with him by now."

"I certainly have not!" Michaela exclaimed. "Not until we're married. Sully understands that."

"That's good," Angelina said. "But you don't know what you're missing."

"Angelina, sometimes I wonder if I know you at all!" Michaela exclaimed. "Hank is a terrible influence on you, which I have to say, is no more than I expected."

"I'm sorry, Michaela, I'm only teasing you," Angelina said at once. "I don't mean it."

Myra came along a few minutes later and Michaela excused herself, returning to the clinic. Myra sat with Angelina until the men returned with the empty wagon. Robert E drove the wagon back to the livery and Jake returned to his barber's shop.

"Where's Sully?" Angelina asked Hank. "Didn't he come back with you?"

"He had an errand; he's gone to the Cheyenne camp," Hank said. "I'll get Hurricane. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, I can't wait." She got up and went into the saloon to speak to the girls before they set off.

Hank and Angelina would still be working there most days, although Jake was to take care of the place that afternoon and evening. A new advertisement had been hung in the window asking for two new girls, one to take Bella's place and one to work from Angelina's old room. In addition, Charlie Bains' younger brother George was moving into Hank's room in a few days' time, to act as a type of manager and caretaker when neither Hank nor Jake were around and so that a man was on the premises all night. Hank figured that one of the girls' earnings would more than cover George's wage and the second girl would bring in extra.

A few minutes later Hank appeared around the corner of the saloon riding Hurricane and paused to lift Angelina up onto the saddle in front of him. Then they were on their way to spend the first night in their new home.

Hank halted Hurricane at the gate to the corral and Angelina stood waiting while he unsaddled the animal and turned him loose. As she looked around her, she suddenly noticed two horses approaching from the distance, one of them carrying a rider. As they drew closer she realised it was Sully.

"Wait here a minute," said Hank and walked towards Sully as he stopped the two horses and jumped to the ground.

Angelina watched curiously as Hank walked around the horse Sully had been leading, a smart-looking iron grey mare with a lighter grey mane and tail and a pretty white star between her eyes. Hank looked at the creature's legs, eyes and teeth, then took the halter rope from Sully and shook his hand. Sully vaulted back onto his own brown and white pony, raised a hand in Angelina's direction and rode off. Hank led the grey horse towards her.

"Said I'd get you a horse," he grinned. "She's an Indian pony, five years old. Sully says her name is _Chosovi_ or something like that; means Bluebird. You call her what you like."

"Oh, she's beautiful!" Angelina gasped, ignoring the horse for a moment while she flung her arms around his neck. "You spoil me."

He gave her a kiss and then put the horse's rein into her hand. She drew away from him and turned her attention to the animal, stroking her soft velvety muzzle.

"I'll call her Blue," she said. "Do you think Hurricane will get along with her?"

"Sure he will." Hank opened the corral gate again. "Turn her loose; let them get acquainted."

Angelina removed Blue's halter and she trotted into the corral. Hurricane immediately approached, ears pricked with interest. Hank closed the gate, grasped Angelina's hand and led her up to the house.


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

A lot of the smaller items that had come from Loren's store were still packed in boxes and Angelina and Hank spent the next few hours sorting everything out. Angelina arranged the kitchen how she wanted it and Hank nailed up curtain poles for the new curtains they had ordered and laid out the rugs. By the time everything was done they were starving and glad to find a basket of Grace's food amongst some of the boxes.

"Never noticed that, Robert E must have brought it in," Hank said.

They ate meatloaf and cherry pie at the kitchen table, washed down with large mugs of Grace's cider. Then they went up to their new bedroom for an early night.

Angelina didn't go to the saloon the following day. Hank took her for a short ride in the morning so she could try out Blue before he went into town himself. Blue was easy to handle and as fast as the wind, keeping up with Hurricane without too much effort and Angelina loved riding her. She was a little disappointed to return the horse to the corral, but she still had a lot to do in the house and she wanted to bake some bread in her new stove. Hank intended to return around eight o'clock for supper rather than stay until the saloon closed, so she made pot pie and peach cobbler.

When Hank returned he reported that the advertisement for the girls had already been answered and that Kathy and Jane were helping the new additions settle in. They were two brunettes from Manitou, named Jessica and something he couldn't remember; Angelina discovered the next day the second girl was called Suzette. They both seemed nice enough, fairly similar to Kathy and Jane really. At least they were nothing like Marjorie and both seemed eager to please the customers and disinclined to cause trouble.

From then on, most days Hank and Angelina went to the saloon together on horseback and she would work the afternoon, cook supper for Hank, George and the girls and sometimes Jake and then mostly go home halfway through the evening. Usually Hank rode back with her and then returned to the saloon alone, but occasionally he sent George or Jake to accompany her. Even with the summer bringing light evenings, Hank wouldn't let her ride the half mile home alone.

It was just four weeks before the wedding when Angelina discovered she was pregnant and even then, she wasn't sure it was that until she saw Michaela. Her monthly was late and she thought it was probably more to do with the constant excitement over the past few weeks of moving to the house, planning the wedding and so on. Then the next evening after Hank had ridden home with her and returned to the saloon, she went into the parlour to light a fire, experienced a moment of dizziness and opened her eyes moments later to find herself lying on the rug, unaware of how she got there. She realised she must have fainted and decided to go and see Michaela the next day.

Angelina called in at the clinic during the afternoon when the saloon was busy and Hank was occupied with a card game. She doubted he would even notice her absence. She told Michaela she had fainted and was late for her monthly.

"When did you have the last one?" the doctor asked.

"About five weeks ago. Maybe six."

She examined Angelina and said that she was certain she was at least a month pregnant. Angelina sat up quickly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Angelina straightened her clothes, grinning from ear to ear. "That's wonderful," she said. "I'm delighted. So will Hank be, when I tell him."

"Do you think so?" Michaela asked. Angelina stared at her.

"You really don't think much of him, do you?" she said.

"I've known him a lot longer than you. I've seen the way he treats people."

"Well, maybe you should look closer at the way he treats me," said Angelina. "He makes me happy; isn't that what's important?"

"I'm sorry," said Michaela. "I suppose he is different in some ways. Even Sully says so and those two never got along that well. Not until recently anyway. So when are you going to tell him? About the baby."

"Not until tonight when we get back to the house. The saloon's pretty busy at the moment."

Angelina returned to the saloon and got to work on supper. Although the afternoon was busy, the evening was quiet. After supper when she went back into the bar after doing the dishes, only a handful of men were still there drinking. The girls sat with some of them, flirting and chatting. Hank joined in a poker game with George, Dick Lutter, another man Angelina knew as Geoffrey and Jake. Angelina leaned on the bar watching, not having anything else to do and not inclined to set off home just yet.

For once Hank wasn't doing too well in the game and had already lost two hands. Usually it was the customers who left the saloon out of pocket. He looked up suddenly and beckoned Angelina over as George began to deal another hand. She walked over and Hank caught her around the waist, pulling her down onto his lap.

"Need an Angel to bring me some luck," he said with a grin. She slid her arm around his neck, brushed his hair away from his face and kissed his cheek. Then she sat there, snuggling against him as he continued the game. Apparently her presence did bring him luck, because he won the next hand and then dealt another.

It was about half an hour later when a newcomer walked into the saloon. Hank was dealing the cards, one arm either side of Angelina. He picked up his hand and looked at the cards, holding them close to his chest and taking the opportunity to give her a quick kiss. Then the doors swung open and they both turned to see who had entered.


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The man was probably around forty years old and he wore a three piece suit and a hat; clearly a city man. Something about him seemed strangely familiar to Angelina and she wondered briefly if he was from Denver.

"Who's that?" George asked Hank.

"Never seen him," Hank shrugged. The man halted a few feet inside the door.

"I'm looking for Angelina Hastings," he said. "I'm told she works here." He grimaced as if he had tasted something unpleasant.

Hank glanced at Angelina, his eyes narrowing. She turned her head to look at the visitor again and his eyes fixed on her face.

"Angelina! Good heavens!" He strode towards them. Hank immediately grasped Angelina by the waist and stood up, setting her on her feet and turning towards the stranger. The man ignored him and went straight towards her.

"What on earth are you doing in a place like this? Your father will be turning in his grave!" He took hold of her arm as she stared at him, dumbfounded. "Come with me, this minute."

"Take your hands off my woman!" Hank snarled at him, lurching forward and pulling her away from the stranger. She stepped back, trying to place the steel grey eyes and angular jaw. Why did he look so familiar?

"I can see I arrived not a moment too soon," he said, turning to look at her. "What are you doing in this awful place? Behaving in such a fashion with the likes of him? You're dressed like a prostitute!"

He glanced sideways at Hank with a disgusted look on his face. He didn't have the chance to add to this as Hank's fist suddenly collided with his jaw. Angelina gasped and put her hands over her mouth. The man staggered backwards and Hank followed up his punch with another with the other hand and then a third to the stomach. The visitor crumpled to the ground, blood leaking from his nose and mouth, unconscious.

"Well done, Hank," muttered Jake, now on his feet also. "Now we're gonna have to fetch Dr Mike."

Hank turned on Angelina, his face furious, his fists still clenched.

"Who the hell is he? Hah?" he roared. Startled, she took a couple of steps backward.

"He's my….he's my uncle," she stammered. "My father's brother."

Hank swore under his breath. He glanced from Angelina to the injured man on the ground and then turned away suddenly, striding out of the saloon, leaving the doors swinging behind him.

"George, you better go and fetch the doc," Jake said. "He could have concussion when he comes around. If he comes round. I'll go after Hank."

"Leave him be," Angelina said a little shakily.

"He's an idiot," Jake muttered. "He can't treat people like this, least of all you. He needs someone to tell him…."

"Just let him cool down," she interrupted. "He'll be fine later, I'll talk to him. You won't do any good annoying him when he's in that mood."

"Me? Annoy him?" Jake shook his head. "Fair enough. If you ask me, though, your uncle has a point. What you're doing with the likes of Hank has always been a mystery to me."

She frowned at him, but said nothing. Instead, she kneeled beside the man on the floor as he began to stir, groaning softly. She hadn't seen her Uncle Joseph since she was about eight years old and it was only the fact that his eyes and his jawline were identical to her father's that she recognised him now. She remembered Joseph and Father having a huge fight and after that Joseph had gone to Chicago. He had never returned to visit and Angelina had forgotten he even existed until now.

Uncle Joseph opened his eyes slowly and squinted up at Angelina. Jake put a hand under his arm and helped him to sit up. He shook himself free angrily and then groaned, putting a hand to his head.

"Get me out of here," he said through his teeth.

"You had better stay here and wait for Dr Quinn to look at you," Angelina said. "You might have concussion. She won't be too long."

"She? You have a female doctor in this godforsaken place?" He pulled a hankerchief from his top pocket and dabbed at his nose and mouth. "And who's that animal who hit me?"

"Hank Lawson," she told him. "My fiancé."

"You can't seriously mean to marry that man," he said. "What would your parents think?"

"They're not here to think anything," she replied.

"You don't think they're watching everything you do and wondering what they did so wrong in bringing you up?" Joseph said harshly. "How can you have fallen so low, Angelina?"

"How can you say such things when you know nothing about me?" she retorted. "I haven't even seen you since I was a child! When Mother and Father died, the bank took the house and I had to do the best I could to survive. The last place I wanted to stay was Denver, with memories of them everywhere and their friends avoiding me like the plague."

"So you became a prostitute?" he snapped.

"That's not what I am," she told him. "I serve drinks, cook for Hank, chat to the customers…."

"Well, thank goodness I arrived when I did. We'll have you out of here tomorrow and back to civilisation," Joseph said firmly. "Charlotte and I have plenty of space now Edward and Lucia have gotten married and moved out of the house."

Angelina's mouth fell open.

"Until you're twenty-one, you're our responsibility," he added.

"Well, where were you six months ago, when your brother died?" she demanded. "You didn't even come to the funeral! You have no right to suddenly turn up out of the blue and pretend guardianship."

"The court would say different," Joseph said. "You're only nineteen years old; a child still."

"I most certainly am not!" she fumed. "I'm to be married in less than four weeks."

Joseph opened his mouth to protest some more, but then sank back, his hand to his head, the colour draining from his face.

"Oh dear, I don't feel so good."

"The doctor will be here soon," Angelina said. She backed away from him and sat down at the nearest table, leaving Jake to tend to him until Michaela arrived on horseback with George. Then she explained briefly what had happened before preparing to leave.

"You're not going?" Michaela exclaimed.

"Yes, I'm going. I haven't even seen the man since I was a child and he just barged in upsetting everyone. I'm going home. I'm sure George and Jake will help move him if necessary."

Both men nodded at this.

"I'll see you home first," Jake said.

"There's no need," Angelina told him.

"Yeah, there is. If anything were to happen to you, Hank'd blame me; I don't want him going for me again after the last time."

"Alright," she agreed.

Jake promised he would be back shortly to deal with Joseph and then accompanied Angelina to the barn to get Blue, quickly saddling his own horse. Then he rode with her through town towards the house. As they left the last few buildings and trotted into pitch darkness, clouds darkening the sky, Angelina felt glad of his company.

"You sure you'll be alright with him?" he asked gruffly at one point.

"Of course I'll be alright," she said.

"Maybe you oughta think about staying in town tonight," Jake added.

"Where? At the saloon? Or the clinic? Hank will be waiting for me."

"Yeah, waiting and mad."

"He'll be fine." As the house came into view Angelina could see the front windows were lit and Hank's silhouette was visible on the porch. He was sitting on the steps and as they drew closer she noticed he had a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a cigar in the other. It was the first time Angelina had known him smoke since the fire.

"Maybe I better hang around," Jake said, hesitating by the gate. "He's drinking, that ain't a good sign."

"There's no need. Please, go back to the saloon. Michaela may want some help moving my uncle."

"Are you sure? Temper and whiskey don't mix too well with Hank," Jake said doubtfully.

"Go. I'll see you tomorrow," she said.

"Alright. Goodnight." Jake turned his horse and set off back into town. Angelina unsaddled Blue and released her into the corral before she walked up to the house.


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

By the time Angelina reached the porch Hank had stopped smoking and had put the bottle down. To her surprise he no longer looked angry, but shamefaced. He hung his head and looked at the ground between his feet. Angelina sat down on the porch steps beside him.

"Thought you might've stayed at the saloon," he grunted.

"I wouldn't do that," she said. "I belong here with you."

"What about your uncle?"

"Dr Mike's looking after him," she told him. "Jake's going back to help move him to the clinic if need be."

"I'm sorry," Hank said.

"For hitting him?"

"No." He shook his head. "For scaring you. I was mad, but I ain't never raised my hand to a woman, nor would I. I'd never hurt a hair on your head."

"I know that," she said. "I wasn't scared."

"You looked it."

"I was just startled by you yelling."

"I thought…." He paused and dragged a hand through his hair, throwing his head back. "I don't know what I thought. Maybe he was some rich fella from Denver you knew before you came here. A suitor."

Angelina wrapped her hands around his arm and squeezed. "I got as much of a shock as you when he turned up," she said. "I haven't seen him in over ten years; I barely even recognised him at first. He has my father's eyes. The two of them had some big fight and he moved to Chicago. We never saw him or heard from him again and he didn't even come to my parents' funeral. I'd forgotten he existed."

"What does he want?" asked Hank.

"He and his wife have decided they want me to go back to Chicago to replace their two children who left home to get married," she said. "They seem to think they can claim guardianship until I'm twenty-one."

"Can they?" Hank turned his head to look at her at last.

"I don't know what the law says," she said. "But I do know it takes time to get things to court and we'll be married in less than a month. They won't be able to do anything then because you'll be responsible for me."

"He looks like he's got plenty of money," Hank commented.

"You've got plenty of money," she said nonchalantly.

"Not that much. Spent it all on the house. You sure you wouldn't prefer a life in the city? Fancy clothes and dinners and going to the theatre and things."

"I'm happy here," she told him. "With you. Do you really think I'd just walk away to be with an uncle I barely know? I love you; I want to marry you. And I wouldn't care if you had no money at all and lived in a shack, I'd still be here."

Hank wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry," he said again. "I'm an idiot."

"No, you're not."

"I am, or I wouldn't have lost my temper over nothing before I even found out who the fella was."

"Forget about it," she said. "We'll deal with dear Uncle Joseph tomorrow. I've something more important to tell you."

"What?" He looked down at her.

"I've not been feeling too well lately," she began. "I saw Dr Mike this morning."

"What's wrong? Is it serious?" Hank's face took on such a look of panic that Angelina couldn't help smiling.

"Pretty serious. We're going to be parents in about eight months."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Hank's mouth stretched into a wide grin and his eyes sparkled, but for once he seemed incapable of saying anything. Instead he crushed Angelina in a hug and they sat there on the porch just holding each other for several minutes, before Hank gathered her up and carried her into the house.

The following morning Angelina and Hank rode back into town to the saloon although Hank said he no longer wanted her working in the bar now she was pregnant. She could cook supper, but that was all. He was as excited as a child with a new toy at the prospect of them having a baby and had convinced himself it would be a boy.

"What are you going to do if it's a girl?" Angelina asked, worried he might be disappointed.

"Spoil her rotten," grinned Hank.

"You know, we shouldn't tell people yet," she said to him.

"Why? Because we're not married?"

"No, because it's so early yet it might be bad luck. Better to wait until after the first three months."

"How am I gonna keep my mouth shut for another two months?" Hank groaned.

"Try," she smiled.

"Yeah, alright." He halted Hurricane briefly in front of the clinic, his smile disappearing. "What are we gonna do about your uncle?"

"I suppose I'll go and talk to him. I didn't even know I had any family left, but since I do I suppose I ought to try to get along with him."

"What if he's still hell bent on taking you back to Chicago?" asked Hank.

"Then we won't be able to get along." She urged Blue on towards the saloon and then left Hank to put her in the barn. She gave him a kiss and headed over to the clinic.

Uncle Joseph was sitting on a chair while Michaela peered into his eyes when Angelina went in.

"You have a touch of concussion, but you'll be fine," Michaela said.

"No thanks to that animal you think you're going to marry!" Joseph exclaimed before Angelina had a chance to speak.

"Good morning, Uncle Joseph," she said pleasantly. "Good morning, Michaela."

"How are you, Angelina?" the doctor asked.

"Never mind the pleasantries. You and I have things to talk about," Joseph said pointedly, getting to his feet. "Where can we talk?"

"Grace's Café, I suppose," said Angelina, turning towards the door again.

"Thank you for your help, Dr Quinn," Joseph said, following her outside.

They walked to the café in silence and chose a table as far from the other few people there as they could get. Grace went over and brought coffee and then left them alone although Angelina noticed her sending a few curious glances in their direction.

"I'll be leaving on the stagecoach tomorrow," Joseph said. "You'll come with me."

"That's what you've decided, is it?" said Angelina. "No discussion."

"Until you're twenty-one, someone has to be responsible for you," he replied. "Being your last living relative that must be myself."

"I didn't even know you existed until last night," she reminded him. "I got along perfectly well without help from you or anyone else since Mother and Father died."

"I wouldn't call becoming associated with that….that rude, obnoxious, violent man as getting along well," Joseph said, his voice beginning to rise.

"If you carry on like that the whole town will hear you," she pointed out.

"I expect you're the subject of gossip already," said Joseph.

"Perhaps, but that would be my own choice. Look, you're wasting your time." She sipped her coffee and put the cup down. "I'm not leaving with you. I know you can't force me to go anywhere against my will unless the court says you can. You can go away and get an order to make me leave if you want, but you can't do that overnight. I'll be Hank's wife in just over three weeks and then it will be up to him what I do or don't do. You'll have no say in the matter. You can fight him all you like, but you won't win."

"That man only knows how to fight with his fists," Joseph snapped.

"This isn't Denver or Chicago, Uncle," Angelina reminded him. "That's the way here. Hank will protect me with his life against anything that tries to hurt me; that includes you. Like I said I got along perfectly well without you and as far as I'm concerned it makes no difference if you're in my life or not. If you want to keep in touch with me that's fine, but I won't leave my home or Hank unless I'm in a pine box."

Joseph sighed heavily and stared at her across the table for a moment while he drank his coffee.

"There's nothing I can say to change your mind, is there?" he said slowly.

"Nothing."

"Won't you at least consider a visit to Chicago before you tie yourself to this place? You could do so much better."

"Perhaps Hank and I may consider a visit together, after we're married," she said. "I won't be going anywhere before the wedding. I have too much planning to do and I wouldn't take off without him even if that wasn't the case. You're welcome to come to the wedding of course, and your wife too, as long as you don't try to cause any trouble."

Joseph let out another deep sigh. "I was only thinking of you, really," he said. "Charlotte and I have a beautiful modern house with plenty of room and servants to cook and clean. A fine carriage to take us anywhere we want to go."

"I have a beautiful house here," said Angelina. "Perhaps you should come and see for yourself before you decide we must be living in a barn."

"Very well," Joseph said, much to her surprise. "I'm guessing you don't have a carriage?"

"We don't have any use for a carriage," she smiled. "We ride horses. I can borrow one for you from the livery if you wish. I have my own."

"Alright." He got up from the table and walked with her around the front of the café to the livery, where Robert E was shoeing Sully's horse.

"Good morning, Robert E," Angelina said.

"Well, good morning, Miss Angelina!" He straightened up, smiling.

"This is my Uncle Joseph, visiting from Chicago," she introduced.

The two men nodded at each other, although Angelina noticed Joseph grimace slightly.

"Do you have a horse free today?" she asked Robert E.

"Sure, you can use the bay. Just a dollar," he said. She gave him a coin and untied the horse, leading it as she and her uncle walked towards the saloon.

"You have coloured people living in this town?" Joseph asked, wrinkling his nose.

"Yes, Uncle, we have coloured people. We have Cheyenne Indians real close too; the medicine man, Cloud Dancing and his wife Snow Bird, are good friends of the doctor and her fiancé, Sully."

"Good heavens," he muttered.

Angelina stopped in front of the saloon and tied up the horse. "I'm going to tell Hank what we're doing and to get my own horse. Will you come in to make peace?" She stared at him determinedly as he hesitated.

"Very well," he said with another long-suffering sigh.

Angelina pushed open the door to the saloon and led the way inside. Hank was behind the bar, replenishing the whiskey bottles in preparation for the place opening at noon. The four girls sat around a table chattering.

As soon as Joseph entered behind Angelina, Hank vaulted over the bar, no doubt expecting more trouble. She went to him and grasped his hand.

"It's alright, Hank, he's not here to cause trouble," she said.

"Angelina's right; I admit I was a little hasty," said Joseph. "She's made it pretty clear what she wants and I suppose I've no business wading in here after ten years, laying down the law. I want what's best for her, that's all, you understand."

Angelina was a little surprised by this, not having expected him to be quite so accommodating. She squeezed Hank's hand harder.

"Well, I guess I owe you an apology," he said to Joseph. "With me it's usually fists first, questions later."

"No hard feelings then," Joseph said stiffly.

Hank shrugged and stuck his hand out. After a moment's hesitation Joseph shook it, then took a few steps backwards.

"I'm taking my uncle to see the house," Angelina told Hank. "We won't be long."

Hank nodded. "Be careful," he said.

She reached up and kissed his cheek. "I love you."


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Uncle Joseph turned away and wandered towards the door, looking more than a little uncomfortable. After a moment Angelina followed and went round to the barn to get Blue. As they rode slowly to the house Joseph told her about his wife Charlotte and their two grown up children. Angelina didn't remember Edward and Lucia, but they were several years older than her and had been away at boarding school when Joseph and her father had been closer. She didn't remember Charlotte at all, but Joseph explained the children's mother had died some years before and Charlotte was his second wife.

She was still unsure of Joseph, given his determination the previous day to take her back to Chicago, but he didn't mention it and even seemed to genuinely like the house when she showed him around. He did make one comment about it being unfitting that she already lived there with Hank when they weren't yet married, but she pointed out sharply that Colorado Springs wasn't Chicago and that although people gossiped like they did anywhere, no one really cared. Joseph dropped the subject and instead told her that he would return home in a few days and bring Charlotte back in time for the wedding.

"Is there an hotel here?" he asked. "I'm going to need somewhere to stay until I go back and when I bring Charlotte."

"There's no hotel. I could ask Hank if you can stay here," Angelina suggested doubtfully.

"That's hardly appropriate," he frowned. "What do people usually do when they visit?"

"Stay with family or friends," she sighed. "I suppose I could ask Dr Mike if she minds you using one of the upstairs rooms at the clinic. It used to be a boarding house before she bought the place."

"I suppose that will have to do," Joseph said, still gazing around the parlour. Angelina noticed him staring at the attractive stone fireplace.

"Hank did some of the work himself, but he brought in a team from Denver to do a lot of it," she said.

"Really?" Joseph's eyebrows rose. "He's not short of money, then."

"The saloon does well," she told him.

"Huh. Well, at least it looks like he can keep you in a decent manner."

When they rode back into town, she took Joseph to see Michaela again and asked whether he could use one of the old boarding rooms for the night until he returned to Chicago. It was clear that Joseph liked and respected Michaela since she had treated him and much to Angelina's relief, she was happy for him to have the use of a room and again when he returned with Charlotte for the wedding.

Angelina left the pair of them chatting while she went with Myra to Emily's place to see how her dress was coming along. Emily was making it based on a design Angelina had picked out from the catalogue. The dress could be ordered from New York for a hundred and fifty dollars, but the fabric had been bought from Loren for twenty. Emily had asked Angelina to go for a fitting that day and she found Dorothy there too. Between the pair of them, they had made some alterations to the design.

"They changed it," Angelina said to Myra.

"I know, Angelina, I'm sorry," Myra said. "I told them to stick to what you said."

"Emily, what's this frill around the neck?" asked Angelina, looking at the dress which hung on a mannequin.

"It was my idea," Dorothy said. "The design from the catalogue is lovely and all, but a little too revealing."

"It didn't show any cleavage," said Angelina.

"But all of your neck and the top of your shoulders. This makes it much more suitable."

"Suitable for whom?" Angelina asked. "I'm marrying Hank, remember?"

Myra giggled and put her hand over her mouth.

"Well, yes," Dorothy said. "But even he must appreciate you need to look decent on your wedding day."

"Dorothy, I chose a design I liked which I knew he would appreciate," Angelina said. "I didn't ask for it to be changed in any way and I'd like it putting back the way it was, otherwise I'll find someone else to make the dress for me, even if it means going to Denver!"

"I'm so sorry, Angelina," Emily said, reddening uncomfortably. "Dorothy said…."

"It's alright, Emily." Angelina smiled at her. "You're a wonderful seamstress. But please, just do as I asked. And Dorothy, don't interfere! It's my wedding day. If someone ever decides they want to take you, you can choose your own dress!"

"Well!" Dorothy blushed now. "I was only trying to help!" She picked up her purse and bustled out of the house. Myra smothered another giggle.

"Now. Let me try the dress on for the fitting. Then you can get rid of these silly frills," Angelina said, unfastening her own dress. "It looks like the sleeves have grown too. I wanted them only to reach my elbows."

"I'll sort them out today," Emily said at once and apologised again. "I'm so sorry, Angelina. Dorothy can be so….."

"Bossy." Angelina smiled again. "It's alright."

Emily and Myra helped the bride to be into the dress and made various tucks here and there, adding pins and so on until they were satisfied with the fitting. Then Angelina left them to it and went over to the saloon to see Hank. She didn't stay long; he was starting up a poker game so she promised to return to make supper and went to look for her uncle.

Joseph was just emerging from Jake's barber's shop, his hair neatly trimmed. The two were chatting and seemed to have hit it off well. Angelina spent some time with him before he went to Grace's café to eat and she returned to the saloon to cook for Hank and the girls.

Uncle Joseph returned to Chicago the next day, promising he would return for the wedding with Charlotte. Angelina was still unsure whether she could trust him despite his more mellowed attitude, but he promised he would be doing nothing about trying to take her back with him and that he could see she was happy. She saw him off on the stagecoach and then life went back to normal, or at least as normal as it could be with the wedding fast approaching and Angelina beginning to suffer morning sickness. She hoped she wouldn't suffer as badly as Myra had and indeed, the faint feeling and nausea did seem to wear off after only an hour each day.

Hank insisted Angelina stay at the house now and took to ordering food from Grace's for the saloon. Michaela called to see her every couple of days and told her people were asking after her.

"I didn't want to tell anyone about the baby yet," Angelina said. "It's still so early."

"Well, you seem to be progressing well," Michaela said. "You could tell your friends, I suppose, but maybe not actually announce it until after the wedding."

"You still don't approve," said Angelina.

"I can't help it. I suppose I have my mother's views on certain things," Michaela admitted.

"I understand. Well, I'll tell Myra. Maybe you could ask her to come and see me? Hank won't let me ride into town until I'm feeling better."

"At least he has some sense," said Michaela with a smile. "I'll speak to Myra when I get back to the clinic."

Myra arrived on a couple of hours later in a buggy and climbed down slowly. She was rapidly growing bigger now and found it more difficult to get around.

"Dr Mike asked me to come and see you," she said as she came into the house. "Something about Hank not letting you leave the house? What's the matter with him?"

Angelina smiled. "That's not quite how it is," she said. "Sit down, Myra."

She sat. "Things alright with you and Hank?" she asked.

"Couldn't be better. Can you keep a secret?"

"You know I can."

"Hank doesn't want me riding in my condition. I'm pregnant. It's only just over a month, but I'm getting sick in the mornings."

"Oh, my! Oh, Angelina, that's wonderful!" cried Myra, getting up again to give her a hug. "Hank must be as pleased as punch."

"He is," she nodded. "Trouble is, he thinks if I do anything I might break."

"Aww." Myra sat down again. "You must be excited too."

"Yes, I just hope I don't get sick on my wedding day," said Angelina.

Myra stayed with her for several hours, chatting about the wedding plans and their pregnancies and her uncle, before she had to leave to make Horace's supper. Angelina set about making some for Hank, knowing it wouldn't be long before he arrived back at the house.

August seemed to fly by and Angelina was lucky enough to only suffer with morning sickness for perhaps a fortnight; then all she wanted to do was eat. When she and Hank ate supper, Angelina's plate was as full as his and she never left a scrap. Michaela checked her over a few days before the wedding and said she was as healthy as could be and had nothing to worry about. Hank was with Angelina at the time and Michaela suggested that he think about getting a buggy so that she wouldn't have to stay at the house all the time.

Two days later Hank rode Blue when he went into town. He didn't tell Angelina he was planning to, but when she went outside she found Hurricane alone in the corral and Blue missing. She didn't think anything of it until Hank returned mid-afternoon, driving Blue in a light buggy he had bought from Robert E. It was used, but in excellent condition and had a comfortable padded seat and two iron steps for climbing in and out.

"Oh, Hank, you spoil me far too much," Angelina said.

He grinned. "You'll have anything you want, so long as I can get it."

Angelina used the buggy to travel into town every day leading up to the wedding to see the Reverend and Emily and Dorothy and to call in at the saloon to see Hank. They went for lunch at Grace's each day and while they were there on Thursday, Uncle Joseph and his wife Charlotte arrived from Chicago. Horace took them to the café, knowing he would find Angelina and Hank there.

Hank immediately put his cigar out and stood up to greet them and much to Angelina's surprise, took Uncle Joseph off to the saloon for a drink to allow her to get acquainted with Charlotte. She was absolutely nothing like Angelina expected and they hit it off immediately.

"It's so nice to meet you," she said. "Your uncle has talked about you a lot. I only wish I'd come with him a month ago – the man has treated you and your fiance abominably! When he set out to find you, we had no idea you would be planning your wedding and have a house and everything. All that rubbish about dragging you back to Chicago whether you liked it or not! You're obviously a grown woman, quite capable of looking after yourself. Don't you worry, you won't be getting any more trouble from that foolish man, I'll make sure of it! All I ask is that you and your man come visit us in Chicago some time after you're married and let us show you around the city."

Charlotte chattered on and on, proving herself to be very bossy where Joseph was concerned. Angelina began to smile, feeling as if aside from Hank, she had family after all. Charlotte was like an elder sister and Angelina even found herself confiding in her that she was pregnant.

"Better not tell Joseph that until after the wedding," Charlotte said with a wink. "How long? It must only be a couple of months, you're not showing at all."

"Two months," Angelina confirmed.

Charlotte beamed. "In that case, you must come and visit us at the end of next summer, or perhaps for Thanksgiving, after the little one is well settled in."


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

When Hank and Joseph returned, Angelina took her uncle and Charlotte back to the house in the buggy. Joseph seemed completely different from the last time he'd been in Colorado Springs and it was undoubtedly down to Charlotte. Everything she said to him, he replied with, 'Yes, dear,' or similar and Angelina was highly amused that it was clearly Charlotte who ran their lives.

The pair stayed for supper and after Hank came back from the saloon Angelina slipped away from the table to speak to him, finding him sitting out on the porch smoking.

"Bossy, ain't she?" he said with a grin. "Reminds me of the doc."

"That's what I thought." She sat down on the step beside him. "I love her. I only wish she'd come with him a month ago; there wouldn't have been any trouble then." She looked up at him. "Hank, I haven't anyone to give me away on Saturday."

"You thinking about asking your uncle?"

"If you don't mind."

"Of course not. He's your only relative, ain't he? Who else is there?"

"I suppose I would have asked Loren if he hadn't shown up," she said.

"You can't have Loren, he's my best man," Hank grinned.

"I thought you were asking Jake."

"Yeah, I was, but I wouldn't put it past him to get drunk and say something stupid in his speech. At least Loren won't make me look like a damned fool."

Angelina giggled. "Alright, I'll go and ask him."

Joseph was surprised and pleased to be asked to give his niece away. "I thought you would have decided on one of your friends here," he said.

"Not really. I had thought of Mr Bray, but he's already Hank's best man and I would rather have a relative. You're all I have, Uncle."

"Then I'd be delighted," he agreed. "I'm sorry for upsetting you before. You know, when I was talking to Hank today, I discovered he's not so bad as I feared. He's obviously besotted with you and keen to be a good husband. I just want you to be happy."

"I am," she said.

Saturday dawned bright and sunny. In keeping with tradition, Angelina had spent Friday night at Horace and Myra's house much to Hank's disappointment, although he went along with it and in fact took the opportunity to invite Loren, Jake, Charlie and George Bains, Sully and a handful of other men to the house for a few drinks that evening.

After breakfast, Emily and Charlotte arrived to help Angelina and Myra get ready. Joseph was dressing at the clinic and Charlotte was to fetch him when Angelina was ready to be taken to the church.

Angelina was surprised to find that she was nervous and full of butterflies, although the three women assured her it was normal. The fact that she was already living with Hank made no difference; a woman's wedding day was the most special day of her life so she was bound to be nervous.

Charlotte arranged Angelina's hair, pinning it up in a loose coil with strands dangling loose around her ears and a coronet of flowers resting on top. The dress was beautiful and Angelina thanked Emily over and over for her efforts in making it.

Charlotte slipped away at ten-fifteen and returned with Joseph in a be-ribboned carriage at half past to take Angelina to the church. Joseph drove the horse and Angelina and Myra travelled in it together, leaving the others to walk. When they pulled up outside the church only minutes later, Michaela left Sully and the children where they were standing just outside and hurried towards them. She looked anxious.

"Michaela?" Angelina looked down at her. "What's wrong?"

She gazed about her before answering. "He's not here yet."

"Hank's not here?" echoed Myra.

"Sully says he drank rather a lot last night," Michaela said. "Most of them did."

Angelina looked past her and saw Loren and Jake huddled together, frowning and squinting in the bright sunlight, appearing more than a little hungover.

"Loren's supposed to be the best man," Angelina said. "What's he doing here?"

"Hank sent him home, apparently," the doctor replied.

"Perhaps I was right all along," Joseph said grimly.

"He'll be here," Angelina said. "Help me down."

Joseph reluctantly helped her out of the carriage and then lifted Myra down too.

"Maybe he got cold feet," Myra said worriedly. "Loren! What are you doing over there? Shouldn't you go and find Hank? Make sure he's alright?"

"'Course he's alright," Loren grumbled.

"Loren, for goodness' sake, it's your responsibility to get the groom to the church," Dorothy spoke up suddenly.

"Aww, he can get here himself," said Loren.

Dorothy opened her mouth to say something else, but then stopped as the sound of a horse's hooves galloping could be heard coming through town. Everybody turned to look as Hurricane hurtled past the end of the saloon and over the bridge towards the church and then skidded to a halt in front of them, his hooves tearing up the neatly trimmed grass, Hank almost falling off his back in his anxiety.

He went straight to Angelina and grasped her hands.

"I'm so sorry," he panted. "Overslept. Too much whiskey last night."

She couldn't help laughing.

"It doesn't matter," she said.

Myra and Charlotte pulled her away from him and fussed around her, making sure her dress looked perfect and her hair was just so. Hank turned away towards Loren.

"Damn you, Loren, leaving me to sleep half the day!" he growled.

"Well, at least you're here now. You look like you need straightening up, though." Loren reached out towards Hank's blue necktie which was crumpled and half unfastened.

"Get off me!" Hank exclaimed.

"Oh dear." Myra left Angelina with Charlotte and went towards them, pulling a small mirror out of her purse. "Hank, calm down," she said. "Anyone'd think it was Angelina that hadn't turned up. Here, look in this…."

She held the mirror up in front of his face and he began dragging his hands through his tangled hair and adjusting his necktie. Moments later, Myra returned and Hank charged into the church, Loren scuttling after him.

By this time Uncle Joseph was frowning and Angelina could see he was about to say something derogatory, when Charlotte elbowed him fiercely and then suggested loudly that everyone else ought to be making their way inside. Angelina heaved a sigh of relief as the older woman organised everyone, leaving only Angelina, Joseph and Myra outside.

"Are you alright?" Myra asked.

"Nervous," Angelina smiled. "I'll be fine once I get in there." She put her hand through her uncle's arm and grasped her flowers with the other.

Just moments later they were walking into the church, followed closely by Myra. Joseph led Angelina up to the altar where Hank and Loren were waiting and she took a deep breath to steady her nerves as the Reverend began the ceremony. Hank looked as nervous as Angelina felt and both of them repeated their vows carefully after the Reverend. Angelina barely noticed what she was saying as she gazed into Hank's eyes which were filled with adoration as he looked down at her, holding her hand which bore the ring he had already slipped onto her finger. Minutes later they were being pronounced husband and wife and Hank was invited to kiss the bride, which he did with gusto. Angelina slid her arms around his neck, holding him tight and thinking with delight that she was now Angelina Lawson. They eventually pried themselves apart and walked back down the aisle together, followed by Loren and Myra and then everyone else.

Grace and Emily had organised the wedding breakfast at Grace's Café and everyone ate, then listened to Loren's amusing best man's speech. For all Hank's efforts at avoiding being embarrassed by choosing Loren instead of Jake, he still finished up looking sheepish with most people laughing and shouting out that Angelina should be made a saint for putting up with him.

Angelina was more worried about Uncle Joseph's speech, but he didn't say a great deal and wished them a happy life together while Charlotte stared sternly at him, no doubt just waiting for him to say a word wrong so she could pounce on him later.

Afterwards a make-shift band comprising Jake on concertina, Loren on harmonica and Charlie Bains on the fiddle provided music for dancing and Angelina danced to the first tune with Hank, the second with Joseph and then half a dozen others with Sully and Loren while he took a break from playing, and then some of the saloon's best customers before she was forced to rest.

Finally the day came to an end and the crowd dispersed, leaving Angelina and Hank to ride back to the house in the buggy to spend their first night as Mr and Mrs Lawson.


	25. Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Joseph and Charlotte left for Chicago on Monday morning, Charlotte promising to write to Angelina regularly until she and Hank were able to visit the following year.

Angelina loved being married to Hank. If it were possible, he treated her even better than he had before and as the months passed and her pregnancy progressed, he fussed over her more and more. She travelled into the town just a couple of times a week in the buggy, often visiting Myra who now had her own baby girl whom she had named Samantha.

At Christmas, Hank's son Zach came to visit from Denver and stayed at the house with Hank and Angelina for two weeks. Angelina found him very shy at first, but after a few days he seemed to settle in and began to talk a little. He had brought some of his drawings with him to show Hank and spent several hours doing sketches and charcoal drawings of Angelina. They were beautiful likenesses.

"Zach, do you think you could draw something for me?" Angelina asked him one day when Hank had gone to the saloon, leaving them alone together at the house.

"Sure," he said at once. "What do you want me to draw?"

"Your Pa," she said with a smile. "Then I can still see him when he's in town working."

Zach grinned. "I'll start now."

"Don't you need him here so you can look at him?" she asked.

"Nah. He's in here." He tapped the side of his head and took out his drawing materials, then sat down at the table.

Zach spent most of the afternoon and evening drawing and then presented Angelina with two beautiful pictures. One was a large sketch of Hank's face, so lifelike that his eyes seemed to twinkle as he grinned at her off the paper. The second showed him sitting on the steps of the front porch staring thoughtfully into the distance, his elbows resting on his knees and a cigar loosely held between two fingers.

"Oh, Zach, I love them!" Angelina exclaimed. "Thank you!"

Hank took Zach back to Denver just after New Year. He was away for one night and sent Kathy to stay with Angelina until he returned. Now that Angelina didn't live at the saloon she saw much less of the girls and the two of them happily spent the evening catching up on the town's gossip.

As spring approached Angelina rapidly grew larger and her feet swelled up, making it awkward for her to get about much. She rarely went to town now and she longed for the baby to be born so she could get back to her usual self.

Angelina eventually went into labour four days late on Good Friday. Hank was at the house with her when her waters broke and he immediately hitched Blue up to the buggy and took her into town to the clinic. Michaela and Colleen were still there attending to a man with a broken hand and they quickly finished with the patient and sent him on his way. Hank carried Angelina into the treatment room and lowered her onto the bed.

"You go over to the saloon," Michaela told him. "I'll send you for you later."

"I'm staying," Hank said gruffly.

"You can't be here while Angelina's in labour," Michaela told him.

"You wanna try and throw me out?" He scowled at her and refused to move, grasping Angelina's hand and squeezing it.

"Let him stay," she gasped, digging her nails into his palm as another pain came.

"It's not done," protested Michaela.

"I was with her when the kid was conceived," Hank said suddenly, winking. "So I'll be with her when it's born too."

Angelina laughed and then groaned, hoping her labour would be quick. Myra's little girl had emerged, screaming, after just four hours. Unfortunately, Angelina wasn't so lucky. Twenty-four hours later she was exhausted and in agony and Hank was alternately sitting beside her gripping her hand or pacing around the room shouting and cursing, tearing at his hair. Angelina grew weaker and barely able to push any more and she heard Michaela saying that she was losing a lot of blood.

"Is she gonna die?" Hank demanded at that point.

"Hank, calm down or you'll have to wait outside," Michaela said sharply.

"Well, do something then!" he roared.

Angelina lost consciousness then, everything seeming to go dark and fuzzy and silent. She drifted somewhere between life and death, occasionally hearing fragments of conversation and feeling more pain. Then she heard a baby crying and realised it was over. She slipped away again.

She woke feeling numb and very cold. Her eyelids were too heavy to lift and she couldn't speak or move, but her body shivered. She heard Michaela's voice.

"Hank, listen to me. The only way I can stop the bleeding is to perform a hysterectomy."

"What the hell is that?"

"I have to remove her uterus. It'll mean she won't be able to bear more children. Angelina is barely conscious so I need your permission to do this; you're her husband."

"Will she die if you don't do it?"

"Probably, yes."

"Then do it," said Hank, his voice sounding tearful. "Just save her. Please."

Angelina tried to open her eyes, but they felt too heavy. A cloth was placed over her nose and mouth and she tasted the odd sweetness of chloroform. Then she slept again.

When Angelina woke she had no idea how much time had passed. She still felt numb and heavy and her head was spinning. She kept her eyes closed, convinced that if she opened them she would see the room whirling around her. Gradually she became aware of sounds around her again; footsteps and voices.

"….blood transfusion," she heard Michaela say.

"How you gonna do that?" Hank's voice asked.

"I'm going to need some blood. At least a pint."

"Then take some of mine."

Angelina must have passed out again because she heard no more of the conversation. The next time she came to there was silence except for the sound of her own breathing and the spinning sensation seemed to have stopped. Her eyelids rose slightly and she confirmed the room wasn't moving and opened her eyes fully. Michaela was looking down at her and the doctor began to smile as Angelina looked back at her. Angelina's mouth was dry and she licked her lips and tried to speak.

"Hank…." she said.

"I'm here," he said gruffly.

She turned her head to the left and saw him lying on another bed next to her. A bandage was tied tightly around his upper arm and a large needle protruded from the inside of his elbow. He had something in his hand which he was squeezing, making the veins in his arm visible. There was a tube attached to the needle and Angelina realised it was connected to a contraption that was drawing Hank's blood out of him and pumping it into her via another tube and needle.

"You're going to be alright, Angelina," Michaela said.

"What about the baby?"

"A fine healthy boy." Michaela went to Hank and removed the needle from his arm. "That should be enough. You lost a lot of blood, Angelina. I had to replace it."

Michaela pulled the needle from her arm and she purposefully didn't look, glancing over at Hank again instead.

"You saved my life," she said to him.

"Yeah, it's getting to be a habit."

She remembered him carrying her out of the saloon when it was on fire and smiled. He sat up on the bed quickly and suddenly all the colour drained out of his face.

"Hank, just lie down for a few minutes," Michaela said, pushing him back onto the pillows. "You'll feel a little faint. Eat this." She passed him a cookie which was clearly one of Grace's. "The sugar will help."

To Angelina's surprise, Hank just lay there and nibbled the cookie, his eyes closed. Gradually the colour began to return to his face, but he didn't sit up again immediately.

"May I see the baby?" Angelina asked.

"Of course." Michaela turned to Colleen who was sitting in the corner of the room, a bundle wrapped in white in her arms. She gathered it up and returned to Angelina, sitting on the side of the bed beside her. "He's a strapping fellow."

Angelina looked into the little wrinkled face with its tuft of blond hair and bright blue eyes and felt a huge surge of love for him immediately.

"What will you call him?" Michaela asked.

"I don't know, we haven't talked about it," she said.

"What was your Pa's name? Hank asked.

"William."

Hank sat up again, slowly this time and took hold of Angelina's hand.

"We'll call him William," he said.

It was three days before Angelina was able to return home. It took her that long to recover her strength and Michaela wanted to make sure she had no more heavy bleeding. Angelina was saddened that she would be unable to have any more children, but at the same time delighted with William, who she thought looked just like Hank.

Michaela said it would take a couple of months for Angelina to recover properly from the operation and when she was home Hank gave Jane a vacation from the saloon and employed her as a helper for Angelina instead. She would arrive at the house in the early morning and stay until the evening when Hank returned from the saloon.

It didn't take Angelina long to get back on her feet. She couldn't actually lift William out of his crib, but if Jane picked him up and passed him to her, she could cuddle him and feed him and so on.

Michaela rode out to the house every few days to check on the progress of mother and baby and by the end of May, Angelina was back to normal. She had healed well, lost the extra weight gained during her pregnancy and she was as healthy as she had ever been. William was strong and healthy too and he rarely cried, much to her delight. Myra complained that Samantha did nothing but cry and the sleepless nights were wearing her and Horace out.

Angelina felt so lucky. Although she had lost her parents, losing them had led her to Colorado Springs and Hank and now she had her own family. She had a lot to be thankful for and a wonderful future to look forward to.


End file.
